Swearingen SA-26T accident near Madison, South Dakota, February 18, 1983
On February 18, 1983 at about 1:50 am local time, a Swearingen SA-26T, registered N737EF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Madison, South Dakota (Madison airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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
- February 18, 1983 · about 1:50 am local time
- Place
- Madison, South Dakota · Madison · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Swearingen SA-26T · all SA-26Ts on the register
- Registration
- N737EF · registry record · serial T-26-22
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A SNOWBANK 10 FEET BEYOND THE THRESHOLD DURING LANDING. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE PILOT REPORTEDTHAT DURING THE FINAL APPROACH TO A LANDING ON RUNWAY 32, THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR CONTACTED A 2 FOOT HIGH SNOWBANK JUST BEYOND THE THRESHOLD LIGHTS. THE SCISSORS ASSEMBLY OF THE LEFT MAIN GEAR WAS BROKEN AND ALLOWED THE WHEEL TO ROTATE360 DEGREES ON THE AXIS OF THE STRUT. DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS MAINTAINED AND THE ACFT REMAINED ON THE RUNWAY. AT FIRST DAMAGE WAS THOUGHT TO BE MINIMAL. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION FOR REPAIRS TO THE STRUCTURE THE DAMAGE WAS FOUND TO BE SUBSTANTIAL.
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; instructor: gyroplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 805 hours in all; 297 in this make and model; 730 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,015 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 28, 1982; 93 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,062 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-26 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PIR Pierre SD
- Destination: MDS Madison SD
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 32, 4,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,500 ft; not recorded at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.