Beech 77 accident near Clark, South Dakota, June 7, 2012
On June 7, 2012 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Beech 77, registered N18012, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern base) near Clark, South Dakota (Clark County Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper fuel management, which led to fuel exhaustion, and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed resulting in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 7, 2012 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Clark, South Dakota · Clark County Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 77 · all 77s on the register
- Registration
- N18012 · no longer on the register · serial WA-276
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The passenger reported that the airplane’s low fuel light illuminated during the flight. She stated that they continued the flight and were circling to land on a grass runway when the airplane crashed. A witness reported seeing the airplane pass over the runway at a low altitude with the engine operating. The airplane then abruptly climbed and initiated a turn. The witness said that the airplane’s nose dropped as if the airplane had stalled and it then descended and impacted the ground. The airplane incurred substantial damage, which included separation of the engine, outboard left wing and aft fuselage, and upward bending of the right wing. There was no bending of the blades of the engine’s propeller, indicating that the engine was not producing power at the time of the impact. Both fuel tanks ruptured, and only 1 gallon of fuel was recovered at the scene. No fuel was found in the gascolator or carburetor. No fuel odor was present at the accident site. The airplane maintenance manual indicated that 1 gallon of the airplane’s fuel supply was unusable fuel. It is likely that the engine lost power during the landing approach due to fuel exhaustion and that the pilot failed to maintain airspeed after the power loss, resulting in an inadvertent stall.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Fuel exhaustion during approach (VFR pattern base) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during approach (VFR pattern base)
- Loss of control in flight during approach (VFR pattern base)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PIR Pierre SD at 7:00 pm
- Destination: MOX Morris MN
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 21, 1,258 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 15 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from ATY, 24 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.