Cessna 172 accident near Sturgis, South Dakota, May 10, 1982
On May 10, 1982 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N5266J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sturgis, South Dakota. 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 10, 1982 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sturgis, South Dakota
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N5266J · registry record · serial 17273749
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT LANDED IN AN OPEN FIELD TO GO TO AN AUCTION. WHEN HE TAXIED BACK DOWNWIND TO START HIS TAKEOFF, THE WIND WAS GUSTING TO 28 KNOTS. THE PILOT ESTIMATED THAT HE WAS MOVING ABOUT 15 MPH AS HE TURNED TO HEAD BACK INTO THE WIND. AS HE STARTED A RIGHT TURN, THE WIND CAUGHT THE RIGHT WING AND THE PLANE FLIPPED OVER ON ITS BACK. AFTERWARDS, THE PILOT BELIEVED HE WAS TAXIING TOO FAST.
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: 233 hours in all; 180 in this make and model; 52 in the last 90 days; 183 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 580 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-HD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Sturgis SD at 2:00 pm
- Destination: Sturgis SD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 24 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 131°F (55°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.
Other NTSB records under N5266J 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.