Amateur-built Avid Flyer accident near Belle Fourche, South Dakota, August 6, 2001
On August 6, 2001 at about 2:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Avid Flyer, registered N312GR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Belle Fourche, South Dakota (Belle Fourche Municipal 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 aircraft control during the forced landing. A factor associated with the accident was the excessive adjustment that the pilot made to the propeller's pitch prior to the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 2001 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Belle Fourche, South Dakota · Belle Fourche Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Avid Flyer
- Registration
- N312GR · registry record · serial 1260D
- 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 during an aborted takeoff. The pilot reported the purpose of the flight was to check the propeller pitch because he had adjusted it. He reported that airplane was "sluggish" during the initial takeoff climb so he leveled off. He reported he checked the engine temperature and rpm, and the engine was close to "over revving." The pilot reported that because he had difficulty maintaining altitude, he decided to abort the takeoff by turning left into the wind so he could land on the grass alongside the runway. The pilot reported the airplane contacted the grass "…with a strong side load on the landing gear." Post accident inspection of the airplane revealed the propeller had been adjusted to too high of a pitch setting.
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: 363 hours in all; 123 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 337 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 18, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 173 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 7, 2000; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,250 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 583 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EFC Belle Fourche SD at 2:30 pm
- Destination: EFC Belle Fourche SD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 4,498 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.27 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from RAP, 55 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.