- Date
- December 28, 2017, 12:15 local (19:15 UTC)
- Place
- Spearfish, SD
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N11KXPiper PA32
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 5, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20171228024309A
- Case key
- 96541
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’s inadvertent landing in snow adjacent to the snow-covered runway resulting in a collision with runway signs.
Findings · 3
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 reported that following an instrument approach in light snow, he inadvertently landed in the safety area to the left of the snow-covered runway. During landing, both wings collided with runway signs. The pilot taxied the airplane to parking. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that following an instrument approach in light snow, he inadvertently landed in the safety area to the left of the snow-covered runway. During landing, both wings collided with runway signage. The pilot taxied the airplane to parking. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N11KX
- Reported as
- Piper PA32 (301T)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-8224004
- Built
- 1981
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-S1AD, 300 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Stamm Air LLC.
- Registered owner
- Stamm Air LLC.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 28, 2017
- Departed
- MCK · McCook, NE
- Destination
- SPF · Spearfish, SD
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- SPF · Black Hills-Clyde Ice Field, runway 13, 6,401 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Onboard weather, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic primary flight display
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
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 5, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,586.8 total · 1,503.4 in this make and model · 1,506 as pilot in command · 36.7 in the last 90 days · 14.1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 14 °F, dew point 9 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.21 inHg
- Observed at
- KSPF
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 17, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.