- Date
- February 17, 1982, 20:50 local (Feb 18, 1982, 02:50 UTC)
- Place
- Mitchell, SD
- Injuries
- 6 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N5799YPiper PA-23
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report February 17, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820217004469A
- Case key
- 71730
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Analysis
As the pilot approached sioux falls he received information that it was below minimums, so he started to divert. As he passed over sioux falls he could see Mitchell, SD, which appeared to be clear, therefore, he elected to land there. It continued to look clear until he was on a short final approach for landing. With the landing light on, his visual references were lost. After turning the landing light off, he could again see the runway lights (at about 20 ft AGL). As he descended further the lights became barely visible and he flared at an angle to the runway. By this time he realized he was headed for the edge of the runway but it was too late to correct or go around. The plane touched down about 1/2 on and 1/2 off the runway. After traveling about 20 ft in snow about 6 inches deep, the nose gear failed.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5799Y
- Reported as
- Piper PA-23
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 27-2930
- Airframe hours
- 5,061
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-C4B5, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Four Lakes Aviation Corp
- Registered owner
- Four Lakes Aviation Corp
- Departed
- Waterloo, IA
- Destination
- Sioux Falls, SD
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- MHE · Mitchell Municipal, runway 12, 6,750 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
- 25
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 2,912 total · 275 in this make and model · 2,732 as pilot in command · 145 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- Calm
- Temperature
- 90 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.