Cessna 172M accident near Sturgis, South Dakota, December 19, 2000
On December 19, 2000 at about 8:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N13584, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sturgis, South Dakota (Sturgis Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot failed to maintain control of the airplane during takeoff and he discontinued an aborted takeoff once initiated. Factors associated with the accident were the inaccurate elevator trim indicator, the pilot's failure to verify the trim setting, rotation was restricted, directional control was not maintained, and the berm which the airplane contacted.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 19, 2000 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Sturgis, South Dakota · Sturgis Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N13584 · no longer on the register · serial 62858
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted the terrain following a loss of control during takeoff. The pilot reported that during his preflight, he noticed the elevator trim was set "all the way to the bottom", so he set it for takeoff. The pilot completed the aircraft preflight, started the engine, and taxied to the runway for takeoff. The pilot stated that during the takeoff roll at 75 to 80 miles per hour, he "slowly pulled back on the control wheel and the plane would not lift off. After the midfield point it still would not lift off. So I proceeded to pull power at which time it lifted up and came back down and bounced one more time before I pushed in power." He reported the airplane went off the right side of the runway and flew over the runway and approach lights before it impacted the terrain and the nose gear collapsed. Inspection of the airplane revealed the elevator trim tab and the cockpit trim indicator were not consistent with each other. When the pilot aligned the indicator for a takeoff setting, the actual trim surface was in a full nose down position.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 176 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 122 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,367 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 49B
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 4,600 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from RAP, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N13584 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.