Old Martin Numicipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Martin, South Dakota 57551
Monday, June 4, 1990 17:20 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO TAKE OFF FROM A WET, MUDDY, 2600-FT LONG SOD RUNWAY (ELEVATION 3300FEET MSL) WITH FULL FUEL AND 70 GALLONS OF 2-4-D. THE AIRPLANE WAS COMPUTED TO BE BELOW ITS MAXIMUM CERTIFICATED GROSS WEIGHT. THE PILOT SELECTED 5 DEGREES FLAPS. OPTIMUM TAKEOFF PERFORMANCE IS ACHIEVED USING 20 DEGREES FLAPS. TEMPERATURE WAS APPROXIMATELY 88 DEGREES AND THE WIND WAS REPORTED TO BE FROM THE WEST-NORTHWEST AT 2-3 MPH. PERFORMANCE FIGURES INIDICATE THE AIRPLANE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TAKEOFF. THE PILOT TOLD AN FAA INSPECTOR THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF MOMENTARILY THEN SETTLED BACK TO THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT'S ACCIDENT REPORT SAID THE AIRPLANE DID NOT BECOME AIRBORNE AND THIS DISCREPANCY COULD NOT BE RESOLVED. THE PILOT SAID THE AIRPLANE WENT OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, WENT THROUGH A SMALL POND, STRUCK THE SHOULDER OF A ROAD, SLID ACROSS THE ROAD, AND CAME TO REST ON ITS NOSE IN A LARGE POND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE ON-GROUND LOSS OF CONTROL DURING THE TAKEOFF GROUND RUN. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO USE OPTIMUM TAKEOFF FLAPS FOR THE RUNWAY CONDITIONS THAT EXISTED, AND THE SOFT WET RUNWAY SURFACE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/4/1990
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1720
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City MARTIN
Event State SOUTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 57551
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport OLD MARTIN NUMICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 9V6
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 3100
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 315
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 2
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 689
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 4 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2008
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41744
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:03PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N78516
NTSB Number DEN90LA125
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 188A
Aircraft Series Identifier 188A
Aircraft Serial Number 18801953T
Certified Max Gross Weight 3300
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 10 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 80
Airframe Hours 1390
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PAUL R. NELSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 608
Aircraft Owner City MARTIN
Aircraft Owner State SD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 57551
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code LKTG
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City MARTIN
Departure State SD
Departure Country
Departure Time 1720
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24
Runway Length 2400
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --