Amateur-built SA750 accident near Harwood, North Dakota, June 23, 1983
On June 23, 1983 at about 1:50 am local time, a amateur-built SA750, registered N25873, was destroyed in an accident near Harwood, North Dakota. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- June 23, 1983 · about 1:50 am local time
- Place
- Harwood, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SA750
- Registration
- N25873 · no longer on the register · serial 1
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN AN INVERTED POSITION IN ABOUT A 30 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED DOING AEROBATICS WITH THE LAST MANEUVER A SPIN. THE ACFT SPUN TO AN OUT OF SIGHT POSITION BEHIND THE TREES AND A CRASH WAS HEARD. THE CFI ON THIS FLT HAD BEEN KNOWN TO PERFORM AEROBATICS IN THIS ACFT AND TO ALLOW STUDENTS TO DO THEM. THE PILOT RECEIVING INSTRUCTION ON THE DAY OF THE FLT HAD BEEN RECOMMENDED FOR AN INSTRUMENT RATING CHECK RIDE. ONE PILOT WHO HAD FLOWN WITH THIS CFI SAID LIMITED AEROBATICS HAD BEEN PERFORMED WITH HIM BUT THE CFI PERFORMED AT A POOR PROFICIENCY LEVEL DURING AEROBATICS. A NOTED AEROBATIC PILOT WHO HAD FLOWN THIS ACFT SAID IT SPUN RELATIVELY FLAT. HE STATED THAT WITHOUT TRAINING MOST PROFESSIONAL AEROBATIC PILOTS WERE UNABLE TO RECOGNIZE EITHER THE DIRECTION OR PROPER PROCEDURE FOR RECOVERY FROM AN INVERTED FLAT SPIN.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,280 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 305 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 5,280 as pilot in command; 1,171 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 131 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1983; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FAR Fargo ND at 1:50 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 am from FAR, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.