Cessna 170A accident near Newell, South Dakota, April 24, 1991
On April 24, 1991 at about 8:10 pm local time, a Cessna 170A, registered N5720C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Newell, South Dakota (Newell 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'S IMPROPER AIRCRAFT HANDLING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 24, 1991 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Newell, South Dakota · Newell · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170A · all 170As on the register
- Registration
- N5720C · registry record · serial 19826
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT SAID THAT HE HAD LANDED AND WAS ATTEMPTING TO TURN OFF ON THE THE TAXIWAY WHEN THE RIGHT WING CAME UP. THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE TERRAIN AND THE ACFT NOSED OVER.
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: 1,326 hours in all; 64 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,634 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 16, 1990
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Black Hills Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 3D3 Belle Fourche SD at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 2,644 ft by 56 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 7:54 pm from SPF, 20 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.