- Date
- January 19, 1992, 13:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Union Center, SD
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8529UCessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 7, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920119057029A
- Case key
- 9331
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
Improper planning/decision by the pilot, and his failure to abort the takeoff, while there was sufficient runway remaining. Factors related to the accident were: the soft runway condition & fence at the end of the runway.
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 pilot stated that during takeoff, the airplane had just lifted off and was at an estimated 2 feet above the ground, when it struck a wire fence and came to rest in a field. He reported the weather was unseasonably warm (60 degrees in January) and the ground was soft due to thawing. He stated: 'it was my error,' and indicated he kept the power in too long, thinking the airplane would clear the fence. The 2800 foot long private grass strip was located on the pilot's property.
Factual narrative
On January 19, 1992, approximately 1300 hours mountain standard time, a Cessna 172, N8529U, piloted by the private pilot/registered owner, collided with a fence shortly after liftoff from the pilot's private grass airstrip in Union Center, South Dakota. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The pilot, the sole occupant, reported no injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight, no flight plan was filed. The flight operated under 14 CFR Part 91, and originated from Union Center approximately 1259 hours.
The pilot reported it was a warm (60 degrees) day with calm winds and the ground was soft with "...about 2" thawed on top... ." He stated when he reached the point on the grass strip where he expected to rotate, the airplane would not fly. He estimated the airplane was about 2 feet above the ground when it struck a woven wire fence located off the departure end of the runway. The airplane fell to the ground and skidded to a stop nose down.
The pilot stated "...It was my error. When I seen it wasn't going to fly or clear the fence I should of cut the power and braked to a stop...kept the power in too long."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8529U
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17252429
- Airframe hours
- 5,000
- Engine
- Continental O-300-D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Opstedahl, Ronald D.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 31, 1991 · 30 hours before
- Destination
- NONE · SD
- Airport
- Private Strip, runway 32, 2,800 × ft, grass/turf
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
- 52
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,200 total · 1,200 in this make and model · 1,100 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.