# NTSB DEN87FA024: Piper PA-28-181, Stugis, SD, November 29, 1986

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Date: November 29, 1986, 23:12 UTC, 16:12 local
- Place: Stugis, SD
- Coordinates: 44.410415, -103.510429 (estimated)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 17084
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN87FA024
- NTSB report (PDF): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/17084/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN87FA024

## Analysis

THE PLT AGREED TO FERRY THE ACFT FOR ANOTHER PLT WHO WAS NOT IFR RATED & WHO HAD BEEN FORCED TO LAND AT KADOKA ON THE PREVIOUS EVENING DUE TO LOW FUEL & APCHG DARKNESS. IMC PREVAILED THRU-OUT THE AREA. THE COMMERCIAL/IFR RATED PLT DID NOT OBTAIN A WX BRIEFING OR FILE A FLT PLAN. HE TOOK OFF & CONTACTED ELLSWORTH AFB APCH CONTROL AT 1535 MST. LATER, HE RPRTD LEVEL AT 6000' MSL & SAID THE TOP OF THE OVERCAST WAS AT 5000'. WHEN TOLD THAT BOTH RAPID CITY & ELLSWORTH AFB WERE BELOW APCH MINS, HE ELECTED TO DIVERT TO SPEARFISH, SD. RADIO & RADAR CONTACT WERE LOST AT 1606. ON THE FOLLOWING AFTERNOON AT 1415, THE WRECKAGE WAS FND WHERE THE ACFT HAD COLLIDED WITH TREES ON A 4800' HIGH MTN AT ABOUT THE 4650' LEVEL. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE ACFT IMPACTED IN A WINGS LEVEL, SLIGHTLY NOSE LOW ATTITUDE AT CRUISE AIRSPEED. THE COCKPITWAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT & GND FIRE. MEDICAL & TOXICOLOGICAL CHECKS REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PLT INCAPACITATION. THE ELEV TRIM WAS FND SET IN A SLIGHTLY NOSE-DOWN PSN.

## Sequence of events

- In flight encounter with weather, unknown
  - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
  - weather condition - clouds (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - fog (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - obscuration (contributing factor)
  - descent - initiated
  - vfr flight into imc - continued, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent
  - terrain condition - high terrain (contributing factor)
  - terrain condition - mountainous/hilly (contributing factor)
  - proper altitude - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)

## Aircraft

- Registration: N2161B, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2161B-2013-09-24) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-181
- Registry model: Fairchild M-62A-3 (registry code 3371618, https://openairdocs.org/model/fairchild-m-62a-3) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 28-79900121
- Airframe hours: 2775
- Engines: LYCOMING O-360-A4M 180 horsepower
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Ferry, Part 91
- Departed: 5V8, KADOKA, SD
- Destination: SPF, SPEARFISH, SD
- Airport: runway 0
- FAA reports: 19861129082189A (https://openairdocs.org/incident/19861129082189A) (OpenAirDocs)

## Flight crew

- Pilot; age 30; commercial, private; medical class 2; hours: 19 30 days, 174 90 days, 560 pic, 703 total

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day
- Wind: 30° at 6 knots
- Temperature (°F): 32

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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From OpenAirDocs.org, an independent open copy of NTSB and FAA data. The NTSB's own report is the official record of an investigation.