Piper PA-28-181 accident near Box Elder, South Dakota, August 21, 1983
On August 21, 1983 at about 8:34 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N8422U, was destroyed in an accident near Box Elder, South Dakota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries. 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
- August 21, 1983 · about 8:34 pm local time
- Place
- Box Elder, South Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N8422U · no longer on the register · serial 28-8190297
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE REACHING HIS DESTINATION, THE PLT CONTACTED APCH CONTROL & REPORTED THAT HE WAS ABOUT 40 MI AWAY & WAS LOW ON FUEL. ABOUT 10 MIN LATER, THE ACFT RAN OUT OF FUEL. THE PLT STATED THAT HE 'COULD POSSIBLY MAKE ELLSWORTH' BUT THE CONTROLLER TOLD HIM THAT ELLSWORTH AFB WAS CLOSED (FOR AN AIRSHOW). THE PLT THEN TURNED AWAY FROM THE AFB & SUBSEQUENTLY CRASHED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND IN A FIELD. INITIAL IMPACT WAS WITH A TREE. THE ACFT THEN CRASHED TO THE GROUND & CAME TO REST IN A CREEK. THE PLT'S WIFE SUFFERED A BROKEN LEG & WAS UNCONSCIOUS FOR 5 DAYS. SHE NEARLY DROWNED AFTER THE PLANE CRASHED, BUT THE PLT & ANOTHER PERSON HELD HER HEAD OUT OF WATER UNTIL SHE COULD BE EXTRICATED FROM THE WRECKAGE.
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: 82 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 336 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 846 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 29, 1983; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LXL Little Falls MN at 5:22 pm
- Destination: RAP Rapid City SD
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from RAP, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.