- Date
- August 3, 2008, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Wall, SD
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5951ZPiper PA-18-150
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Rapid City, SD, FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080803843289A
- Case key
- 68672
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 pilot not maintaining airplane control during the landing. Contributing to the accident was the reported wind shear.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot indicated that he was trying to land on a sand bar. He made three passes to see if the location was useable. During the landing approach he encountered a wind shear and impacted terrain. He reported no mechanical issues with the airplane.
Factual narrative
The pilot indicated that he was trying to land on a sand bar. He made three passes to see if the location was useable. During the landing approach he encountered a wind shear and impacted terrain. He reported no mechanical issues with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5951Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-8258
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Michael Mitchell
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 2008
- Departed
- PIR · Pierre, SD
- Destination
- 49B · Sturgis, 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
- 44
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Unknown
- Last flight review
- September 1, 2007
- Flight hours
- 2,000 total · 300 in this make and model
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.