Faith Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Faith, South Dakota 57626
Saturday, June 18, 2011 7:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After completing an agricultural spray run, the pilot attempted to make a tight, climbing turn without extending out over an adjacent river bank. As he started the climbing turn, the airplane stalled and there was not enough altitude to recover. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground and sustained substantial damage. The river bank was about 250 feet above the height of the field. The pilot stated that there were no problems with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He commented that making a wider turn, outside of the river bank, might have prevented the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper turn while maneuvering during an agricultural application flight, which resulted in an inadvertent aerodynamic stall at low altitude.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/18/2011
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 730
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Faith
Event State SOUTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 57626
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 450210N
Event Location Longitude 1020111W
Event Location Airport Faith Municipal
Event Location Nearest Airport ID D07
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 15
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 2582
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 756 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 315
Weather Observation Facility ID D07
Elevation of weather observation facility 2582
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 16
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.86
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 28745
NTSB Notification Source FAA-AGL ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 22 2011 11:15AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7018Z
NTSB Number CEN11LA405
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-25-235
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 25-2773
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 May 16 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2711
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Timothy D. Bernstein
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Faith
Aircraft Owner State SD
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 57626
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Timothy D. Bernstein
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Faith
Operator State SD
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 57626
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code D07
Departure City Faith
Departure State SD
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 700
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code D07
Destination City Faith
Destination State SD
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 22 2011 11:22AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --