Beech F-33A accident near Prairie City, South Dakota, March 22, 1996
On March 22, 1996 at about 1:40 am local time, a Beech F-33A, registered N5563X, was destroyed in an accident near Prairie City, South Dakota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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. A factor was pilot fatigue.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 22, 1996 · about 1:40 am local time
- Place
- Prairie City, South Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech F-33A · all F-33As on the register
- Registration
- N5563X · no longer on the register · serial CE1423
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane and pilot had been missing for about 30 days after departing on a late afternoon cross-country flight. Weather during the flight was marginal VFR. The surface analysis charts showed a cold front in the vicinity of the accident site. The airframe and engine examination revealed no anomalies that would prevent flight. The airplane's attitude indicator's gyro rotor and case had rotational scaring. The pilot's son stated his father had complained to him about being very fatigued about 24 hours before the flight. He said his father was very concerned about not having enough energy to make the flight. The son said his father had a habit of falling asleep when he was fatigued.
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: 12,500 hours in all; 774 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 784 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 12, 1996; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MLK Malta MT at 11:55 pm
- Destination: LBF North Platte NE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 020° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:51 am from DIK, 96 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.
Other NTSB records under N5563X 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.