Piper PA-38 accident near Bridgewater, South Dakota, August 1, 1991
On August 1, 1991 at about 1:30 am local time, a Piper PA-38, registered N6373A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bridgewater, South Dakota (Waltner And Richards 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
DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS NOT MAINTAINED BY THE PILOT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A FENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 1991 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Bridgewater, South Dakota · Waltner And Richards · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38 · all PA-38s on the register
- Registration
- N6373A · registry record · serial 38-78A0398
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT AS HE BEGAN ROTATION DURING A TAKEOFF RUN HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, AND BEGAN SWERVING RIGHT AND LEFT. THE ACFT SWERVED OFF THE SOD STRIP AND COLLIDED WITH A FENCE WHICH RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL AIRFRAME DAMAGE.
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: 563 hours in all; 71 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 4, 1990
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 2,500 ft by 110 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 2:50 am from FSD, 25 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.