Cessna 180 accident near Whitewood, South Dakota, March 28, 1998
On March 28, 1998 at about 7:25 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N9140C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Whitewood, South Dakota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to maintain clearance from obstructions (wires) during an approach for a precautionary landing. Factors associated with the accident were: the pilot's inadequate evaluation of the weather conditions, low ceilings, icing conditions, and the wires which were contacted.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 28, 1998 · about 7:25 pm local time
- Place
- Whitewood, South Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N9140C · no longer on the register · serial 31-239
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported he was flying between cloud layers at 7,500 feet msl, when the airplane started to accumulate airframe ice. He reversed his direction to return to Spear Fish, South Dakota, but the weather continued to deteriorate. He decided to make an off-airport landing in a field. The pilot reported that he circled the field two times. On the third pass, while on final approach, the airplane contacted the lower line of a dual set of wires. The airplane then nosed down and impacted the terrain prior to nosing over inverted.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,436 hours in all; 848 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 6,436 as pilot in command; 162 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,035 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 3, 1998; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SPF Spear Fish SD at 6:55 pm
- Destination: Y49 Walker MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 045° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.