Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Woonsocket, South Dakota 57385
Tuesady, October 26, 1993 9:50 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED FLYING LOW OVER FARM FIELDS APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. WITNESSES DRIVING ALONG A FOUR LANE HIGHWAY OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLYING PARALLEL, AND OVER THE HIGHWAY. THEY OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLY LOW OVER ANOTHER VEHICLE PRIOR TO COLLIDING WITH POWERLINES CROSSING THE ROAD. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AND EXPLODED INTO FLAMES. THE VEHICLE THE AIRPLANE WAS FLYING LOW OVER WAS OCCUPIED BY THE PILOT'S FRIENDS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot misjudging the airplane's clearance under the wires. Factors related to the accident were the performance of a low pass and the wires which were contacted.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/26/1993
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 950
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City WOONSOCKET
Event State SOUTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 57385
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 850 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 334
Weather Observation Facility ID HON
Elevation of weather observation facility 1288
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4100
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 21
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1336
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 26 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1050
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N39952
NTSB Number CHI94LA024
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-181
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-181
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7990021
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FAGERHOLT BROTHERS FARMING ASC
Aircraft Owner Street Address R.R. 1 BOX 10
Aircraft Owner City HOOPLE
Aircraft Owner State ND
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 58243
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FAGERHOLT BROTHERS FARMING ASC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address R.R. 1 BOX 10
Operator City HOOPLE
Operator State ND
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 58243
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MHE
Departure City MITCHELL
Departure State SD
Departure Country
Departure Time 920
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code HON
Destination City HURON
Destination State SD
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --