Cessna 150M accident near Rapid City, South Dakota, July 26, 2001
On July 26, 2001 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N714GF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rapid City, South Dakota (Rapid City Regional airport). It was an instructional 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 student solo pilot failed to compensate for the wind conditions. Factors included the high wind, gusts, and tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 2001 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Rapid City, South Dakota · Rapid City Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N714GF · no longer on the register · serial 15079159
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained substantial damage prior to taxi when a gust of wind flipped it over on its back. The solo student pilot reported the winds were from the south and under 10 knots and the sky conditions appeared favorable with good visibility. He reported that at 1735 he started the engine and continued to accomplish the checklist items. He reported that about 10 minutes later he was still accomplishing the checklist items and had not started to taxi, when "... all of a sudden, the control wheels started to abruptly move forward and backward…My first reaction was to hold the control wheel forward to stabilize the movement while at the same time I turned to look behind me... In a matter of seconds I felt the tail and [end] of the plane rising up...The next thing I remember is being violently flipped over..." At 1655, the surface weather observation at RAP was: winds 170 degrees at 6 knots, 10 mile visibility, light rain, clear, temperature 24 degrees C, dew point 20 degrees C, altimeter 29.95. At 1759, the surface weather observation at RAP was: winds 140 degrees at 31 knots gusting to 37 kts, 1 3/4 miles visibility, rain, mist, 2,800 feet scattered, 4,900 feet broken, 6,500 feet overcast, temperature 17 degrees C, dewpoint 16 degrees C, altimeter 29.98.
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: 34 hours in all; 34 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,663 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2001; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RAP Rapid City SD
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 31 knots, gusting 37
- Visibility: 1.8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,900 ft; scat at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 11:59 pm from RAP
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.