Sturgis Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sturgis, South Dakota 57785
Thursday, August 9, 1990 19:35 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ATTEMPTING A TAKEOFF, WITH APPROACHING THUNDERSTORMS AND RELATED UNSTABLE WX ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, ACFT CONTROL WAS LOST AND THE ACFT WAS BLOWN INTO AN ADJACENT FIELD, RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, AND POST ACCIDENT FIRE. PRIOR TO TAKEOFF, THE PLT WAS WARNED OF POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES IN ATTEMPTING A TAKEOFF AT THAT TIME BY AIRPORT WITNESSES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

POOR PLANNING/DECISION, FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND OVER CONFIDENCE IN PERSONAL ABILITY BY THE PIC. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THUNDERSTORMS, TURBULENCE AND UNFAVORABLE WIND.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/9/1990
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1935
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City STURGIS
Event State SOUTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 57785
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport STURGIS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 66D
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 3280
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 Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1249
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 10 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 710
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42428
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N15803
NTSB Number CHI90LA224
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-180
Aircraft Serial Number 287305147
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
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 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AERO WORLD
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address REGIONAL AIRPORT
Operator City HURON
Operator State SD
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1930
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code HON
Destination City HURON
Destination State SD
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 11
Runway Length 3650
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --