Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Elm Springs, South Dakota 57336
Thursday, January 5, 1984 9:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS FLYING ALONG A RIVER BOTTOM LOOKING FOR STRAY CATTLE WHEN THE ACFT CRASHED INTO THE GROUND. HE RECEIVED A SERIOUS HEAD INJURY & COULD NOT RECALL DETAILS OF THE ACCIDENT, BUT HE BELIEVED THAT HE WAS FLYING AT ABOUT 100 FT AGL. AN EXAM OF THE CRASH SITE REVEALED THE ACFT HAD IMPACTED IN A NOSE DOWN, RIGHT WING LOW ATTITUDE WHILE AT SLOW SPEED. RESCUE PERSONNEL FOUND THE PLT IN A SEMI-CONSCIOUS CONDITION. THE DECEASED PASSENGER WAS FOUND LYING OUTSIDE THE RIGHT COCKPIT DOOR. THE PLT HAD PREVIOUSLY OBTAINED A STUDENT CERTIFICATE (MANY YEARS AG0), BUT HAD NOT GOTTEN A PRIVATE CERTIFICATE. HIS CLASS III MEDICAL CERTIFICATE HAD EXPIRED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/5/1984
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City ELM SPRINGS
Event State SOUTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 57336
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 1
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 335
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 1910
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 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 877
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 24612
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 N98322
NTSB Number DEN84FA064
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model J3C-65
Aircraft Series Identifier J3C-65
Aircraft Serial Number 18487
Certified Max Gross Weight 1220
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 26 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 250
Airframe Hours 1751
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RUSSELL BURMEISTER
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 32
Aircraft Owner City ELM SPRINGS
Aircraft Owner State SD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 57336
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) Aerial Observation
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PVT
Departure City ELM SPRINGS
Departure State SD
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 Maneuvering
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --