Piper PA-18-150 accident near Wall, South Dakota, August 3, 2008
On August 3, 2008 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N5951Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Wall, South Dakota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot not maintaining airplane control during the landing. Contributing to the accident was the reported wind shear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 2008 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wall, South Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N5951Z · registry record · serial 18-8258
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot indicated that he was trying to land on a sand bar. He made three passes to see if the location was useable. During the landing approach he encountered a wind shear and impacted terrain. He reported no mechanical issues with the 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
What happened, in order
- Windshear or thunderstorm during landing
- Loss of control in flight during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Windshear › Contributed to outcome
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 300 in this make and model
- Last flight review: September 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: unk
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2008
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PIR Pierre SD
- Destination: 49B Sturgis SD
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.