Cessna 175 accident near Wessington Spri, South Dakota, July 4, 2003
On July 4, 2003 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Cessna 175, registered N7256M, was destroyed in an accident near Wessington Spri, South Dakota (Wessington Springs 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 not obtaining/maintaining clearance from the barbed wire fence during the go-around. Factors to the accident were the fence, and the brush.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 2003 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Wessington Spri, South Dakota · Wessington Springs Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 175 · all 175s on the register
- Registration
- N7256M · no longer on the register · serial 55556
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was destroyed by ground impact and post impact fire after hitting a fence during an attempted go-around. The pilot reported that his "touchdown point was a little long" during an attempted landing at a private airstrip. The pilot attempted a go-around. During initial climb the airplanes tires struck a fence and the airplane "went into some brush." A subsequent post impact fire ensued. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures. Wind was 270 degrees at 6 knots.
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: 178 hours in all; 106 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 119 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 2, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,026 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 11, 2002; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 27D Canby MN at 6:05 pm
- Destination: Wessington Spri SD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,500 ft by 180 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from KHON, 26 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.
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.