Cessna 188 accident near Martin, South Dakota, August 7, 1993
On August 7, 1993 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 188, registered N78516, was substantially damaged in an accident near Martin, South Dakota. It was an aerial observation flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 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 failure to maintain control of the airplane during the takeoff roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 1993 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Martin, South Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 188 · all 188s on the register
- Registration
- N78516 · no longer on the register · serial 18801953T
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO TAKEOFF ON AN EIGHTEEN FOOT WIDE GRAVEL ROADWAY. HE STATED '...AS SOON AS TAIL CAME UP, RIGHT WING DROPPED AND AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE RIGHT. LEFT BRAKE APPLIED TO STOP AIRCRAFT FROM TURNING RIGHT...CAUSED AIRCRAFT TO VEER LEFT 180 DEGREES.' THE AIRPLANE SKIDDED INTO A DITCH ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 28,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 28,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,832 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 7, 1993; 115 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Lakota Nation Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 1 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:00 pm
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.
Other NTSB records under N78516 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.