Great Planes Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tea, South Dakota 57064
Saturday, August 20, 1983 14:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT SWERVED OFF THE RWY, COLLIDED WITH A DITCH AND NOSED OVER. THE PILOT WAS A STUDENT ON HIS 1ST SOLO AFTER OVER 42 HOURS OF DUAL INSTRUCTION. HE FLEW OVER 28 HOURS OF DUAL INSTRUCTION AND MADE ABOUT 60 LANDINGS DURING THE LAST 90 DAYS. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT THE STUDENT WAS USING RWY 16. THE WIND WAS FROM 140 DEGREES AT 4 TO 6 KTS. THIS EQUATES TO A CROSSWIND COMPONENT FROM THE LEFT OF 2 KTS. THE CFI OBSERVED THE STUDENTS FIRST SOLO LANDING. HE SAID THE ACFT DRIFTED OFF TO THE LEFT DURING THE FLARE. THE ACFT BOUNCED ON THE GRASS BESIDE THE RWY, WENT INTO A DITCH AND BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR WHEN IT HIT THE OPPOSITE EMBANKMENT. THEN THE ACFT LANDED ON ITS NOSE AND NOSED OVER. THE PILOT SAID HE TRIED TO CORRECT BACK TO THE RWY DURING FLARE BUT THE ACFT 'STARTED TO GO SIDEWAYS'. WHEN HE SAW THE GRASSTHE STUDENT ADDED POWER TO GO-AROUND BUT THE STALL WARNING SOUNDED AND HE PULLED THE POWER OFF BEFORE HITTING THE DITCH.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/20/1983
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1415
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City TEA
Event State SOUTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 57064
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GREAT PLANES
Event Location Nearest Airport ID Y14
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 1505
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Witness
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 3700
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) 1664
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21998
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 N9634U
NTSB Number DEN83LA195
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 AMERICAN AA-1C
Aircraft Series Identifier AMERICAN A
Aircraft Serial Number AA-1C-0079
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 22 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 65
Airframe Hours 2854
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STEPHEN R. THOMPSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2317 S. DULUTH
Aircraft Owner City SIOUX FALLS
Aircraft Owner State SD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 57105
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 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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1410
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 16
Runway Length 2500
Runway Width 45
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --