Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Pierre Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Pierre, South Dakota 57501
Tuesady, August 28, 2012 9:49 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During the airplane’s initial takeoff climb, two ground witnesses observed the left “gull-wing” entrance door to be open. They reported that when the airplane was about 50 feet above the ground, it entered a series of approximately four pitch oscillations. During the last pitch-down oscillation, the airplane impacted the runway at a steep descent angle and then skidded forward about 500 feet, coming to a stop near the right side of the runway. A postimpact fire ensued. Examination of the airframe, engine, propeller and the door did not reveal any anomalies associated with a preimpact failure or malfunction.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The airplane's entry into a pilot-induced oscillation and the pilot’s loss of airplane control during the takeoff initial climb. Contributing to the accident was the left entrance door opening in flight for undetermined reasons.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/28/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 949 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Pierre |
| Event State | SOUTH DAKOTA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 57501 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 442234N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1001705W |
| Event Location Airport | Pierre Regional Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KPIR |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1744 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 953 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 360 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KPIR |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1744 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 27 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 17 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 90 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.93 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KPIR 281353Z AUTO 10010KT CLR 24/17 A2992 RMK A02 |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 30932 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 16 2013 4:53PM |
| User who most recently changed record | bowl |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N416 |
| NTSB Number | CEN12FA579 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | -- |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | LEE PAUL |
| Aircraft Model | SQ 2000 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 0007 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2250 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 2 |
| 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 | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | PAUL LEE |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | PIERRE |
| Aircraft Owner State | SD |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 57501-6168 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | PAUL LEE |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Pierre |
| Operator State | SD |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 57501 |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | KPIR |
| Departure City | Pierre |
| Departure State | SD |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 949 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | KPIR |
| Destination City | Pierre |
| Destination State | SD |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 18 2012 6:52PM |
| User who most recently changed record | folm |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 13 |
| Runway Length | 6900 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |