- Date
- May 19, 2005, 08:15 local (15:15 UTC)
- Place
- Lodgepole, SD
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N102AMAviat A-1B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 13, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20050519008909A
- Case key
- 61523
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The poor inflight planning and the pilot's inability to maintain control of the airplane. A factor associated with the accident was the low altitude at which the airplane encoutnered its own wake.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane collided with the terrain following a loss of control during a predator control flight. The pilot reported the purpose of the flight was an aerial hunt of coyote. The pilot stated that upon arriving in the area, he spotted a coyote and made a normal pass near it. His gunner then informed him that the shotgun had jammed so he made an "immediate 360-degree left turn." The pilot reported that when he got within 20 to 30 yards of the coyote, he encountered wake turbulence from his previous pass. He stated he applied full power and attempted to pull up. The pilot reported, "I sensed that due to the rate of descent I was going to strike the ground." The airplane contacted the terrain and became airborne before striking the terrain a second time.
Factual narrative
On May 19, 2005, at 0815 mountain standard time, an Aviat A-1B, N102AM, operated by the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks, collided with the terrain following a loss of control during a predator control flight in Lodgepole, South Dakota. The pilot received serious injuries and the passenger received minor injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The public use flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight originated from a ranch in Meadow, South Dakota.
The pilot reported they were flying to Lodgepole, South Dakota, to aerial hunt coyote. The pilot stated that upon arriving in the area, he spotted a coyote and made a normal pass near it. His gunner then informed him that the shotgun had jammed so he made an "immediate 360-degree left turn." The pilot reported that when he got within 20 to 30 yards of the coyote, he encountered wake turbulence from his previous pass. He stated he applied full power and attempted to pull up. The pilot reported, "I sensed that due to the rate of descent I was going to strike the ground." The airplane contacted the terrain and became airborne before striking the terrain a second time.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N102AM
- Reported as
- Aviat A-1B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2182
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public aircraft - state · Public use
- Registered owner
- South Dakota Dept of Game, Fish, and Parks
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Meadow, SD
- Destination
- Lodgepole, SD
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 64
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Flight hours
- 27,502 total · 653 in this make and model · 92 in the last 90 days · 38 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.