Piper PA28-180C accident near Sturgis Muni., South Dakota, August 27, 1983
On August 27, 1983 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA28-180C, registered N8426W, was destroyed in an accident near Sturgis Muni., South Dakota (Sturgis airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 2 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 27, 1983 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sturgis Muni., South Dakota · Sturgis · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28-180C · all PA28-180Cs on the register
- Registration
- N8426W · no longer on the register · serial 28-2653
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED ON THE APPROACH END TO RUNWAY 11 DURING AN ABORTED LANDING. THE PLT STATED THE ACFT WAS HIGH SO HE APPLIED FULL POWER AND RETRACTED THE FLAPS. HE SAID HE RETRACTED THE FLAPS TOO FAST AND LOST CONTROL OF THE ACFT. THE NOSE GEAR WAS BROKEN OFF, THE RIGHT WING BUCKLED AND BENT, THE LEFT WING WAS TORN LOOSE AND BENT BACKWARD AND THE LEFT MAIN GEAR WAS TORN OFF THE ACFT. THE 2 FRONT SEAT OCCUPANTS WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED. THE REAR SEAT OCCUPANTSRECEIVED MINOR INJURIES.
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: 305 hours in all; 93 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 951 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 27, 1982; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Rapid City SD at 8:30 pm
- Destination: 66D Sturgis SD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:00 pm from RAP, 32 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.