Cessna 140 accident near Spearfish, South Dakota, July 14, 2001
On July 14, 2001 at about 2:06 am local time, a Cessna 140, registered N2005V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Spearfish, South Dakota (Black Hills-Ice airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot failed to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing. Factors associated with the accident were the pilot's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing and his lack of experience in the make and model of the accident airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 14, 2001 · about 2:06 am local time
- Place
- Spearfish, South Dakota · Black Hills-Ice · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N2005V · no longer on the register · serial 14216
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with the terrain following a loss of control while landing on on the grass airstrip. The pilot reported that he departed the airport and made a left hand traffic pattern to land on runway 08. He reported he was going to make a full stop landing using rudder control on the grass runway. He continued to report, "Airplane started going to right. Used small corrections left rudder. Did not change made more corrections, Airplane was leaving right side of runway. The I believe I pushed on both rudders and brakes. Airplane turned sharp right hand 90 [degree] turn. Broke left, slammed left wing into ground." A witness to the accident reported, "The plane touched down, bounced up a little and then touched down again and started veering to the right. The right wheel broke off and the plane tipped over on the left wing." The student pilot reported a total of 52 hours of flight time, 14 of which were in the accident make and model of airplane.
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: student
- Flight time: 52 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,777 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 16, 2000; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SPF Spearfish SD at 2:00 am
- Destination: SPF Spearfish SD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 080, 3,975 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 am from RCA, 36 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.