Pietsch Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sawyer, North Dakota 58781
Sunday, October 6, 1985 10:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT ALLOWED THE AIRSPEED TO DECREASE TO THE EXTENT OF ACTIVATING THE ACFT STALL WARNING SYSTEM ON FINAL APCH AT 100 FT ABOVE THE GROUND AND 200 FT FROM THE END OF THE RWY. HE CORRECTED THE LOW AIRSPEED CONDITION BY LOWERING THE NOSE, RESULTING IN A HIGH RATE OF DESCENT. HE INITIATED AN EXCESSIVE NOSE HIGH LANDING FLARE TO COMPENSATE FOR THE HIGH RATE OF DECENT, CAUSING THE ACFT TO STALL 10-15 FT ABOVE THE RWY. THE PLT CONTINUED THE LANDING WITH NO CORRECTIVE ACTION. THE ACFT IMPACTED THE RWY IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE, BOUNCED 50-60 FT INTO THE AIR, CROSSED A DIRT ROAD AND LANDED IN A FLD WHERE IT COLLIDED WITH A LARGE BALE OF HAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/6/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1045
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City SAWYER
Event State NORTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 58781
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PIETSCH AIRSTRIP
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 1560
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1051 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 330
Weather Observation Facility ID MOT
Elevation of weather observation facility 1715
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 12000
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 895
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1805
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 6 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29181
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N26207
NTSB Number DEN86LA003
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name GRUMMAN
Aircraft Model AA-5A
Aircraft Series Identifier AA-5A
Aircraft Serial Number 0472
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Mar 15 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 72
Airframe Hours 2449
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PIETSCH FLYING SERVICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address #14 MINOT INT'L AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City MINOT
Aircraft Owner State ND
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 58701
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
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 MOT
Departure City MINOT
Departure State ND
Departure Country
Departure Time 1030
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 29
Runway Length 2800
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --