Cessna 150 accident near Red Owl, South Dakota, June 18, 1983
On June 18, 1983 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N6418F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Red Owl, 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
- June 18, 1983 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Red Owl, South Dakota
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N6418F · no longer on the register · serial 15063018
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE THE FLT THE STUDENT PILOT HAD CHECKED THE FUEL BY THE GAGES ONLY AND HAD NOT DRAINED THE FUEL SUMPS. HE THOUGHT HE HAD ENOUGH FUEL TO FLY FROM THE RANCH TO THE TRAINING SCHOOL ARPT TO REFUEL. THE ENGINE QUIT AT 100 FT AGL AFTER TAKEOFF. ABOUT 1-1/2 GALS OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE ACFTS FUEL SYSTEM.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 40 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 23 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,236 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 12, 1983; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; ovct
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from RAP, 60 miles away
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 N6418F 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.