Amateur-built Vans RV-4 accident near Custer, South Dakota, September 29, 2004
On September 29, 2004 at about 6:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Vans RV-4, registered N968MA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Custer, South Dakota (Custer County 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing. Factors were the sudden wind shift and the embankment.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 29, 2004 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Custer, South Dakota · Custer County · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Vans RV-4
- Registration
- N968MA · registry record · serial 3964
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was damaged when it departed the runway and struck an embankment during landing. The pilot stated that he was landing to the west and during the landing roll, the airplane suddenly veered to the right. He stated that he attempted to correct with rudder and brakes but was unable to keep the airplane from exiting the runway surface. The airplane subsequently struck an embankment. In his statement, the pilot stated that there were no mechanical problems with regard to the airplane. He also stated that he suspected that the winds from the canyon adjacent to the airport caused a wind shift at the point where the loss of control occurred. The reported winds were from 290 degrees at 9 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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 5,017 hours in all; 160 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: condition inspection
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: YKN Yankton SD at 5:15 pm
- Destination: CUT Custer SD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 9 knots
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI04CA289.