Convair 340/440 accident near Pierre, South Dakota, October 20, 1983
On October 20, 1983 at about 3:36 am local time, a Convair 340/440, registered N199CF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pierre, South Dakota (Pierre Muni airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- October 20, 1983 · about 3:36 am local time
- Place
- Pierre, South Dakota · Pierre Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Convair 340/440 · all 340/440s on the register
- Registration
- N199CF · no longer on the register · serial 199
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER LANDING AT PIERRE, SD, 2070 LBS OF CARGO WAS OFF-LOADED FROM THE AFT SECTION OF THE AFT & A NEW WT & BALANCE WAS CALCULATED. THE AIRCREW THEN PREPARED TO TAKEOFF IN CONDITIONS OF LOW CEILING & FOG. THE PLT-IN-COMMAND (PIC) INITIATED THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THEN AT ABOUT 80 KTS, THE COPILOT ASSUMED CONTROL AS PREBRIEFED. THE TAKEOFF WAS REPORTED AS NORMAL UNTIL THE FLAPS WERE RETRACTED. AT ABOUT THAT TIME, THE COPILOT SAW RED LIGHTS AHEAD. HE ASSUMED THE LIGHTS WERE ON RADIO ANTENNA TOWERS & PULLED BACK ON THE YOKE WHILE BANKING RIGHT TO MISS THE OBJECTS. THE RED LIGHTS WERE ACTUALLY ON SMALL STRUCTURES (SHED & LIGHTING SYSTEMS) AT THE NORTH END OF RWY 31. WHILE TAKING EVASIVE ACTION, THE RIGHT WING DUG INTO THE SOFT GROUND & THE PLANE CRASHED. WITNESS SAID THE ACFT WAS IN A SHALLOW CLIMB AFTER LIFT-OFF. ONE WITNESS SAID IT CLIMBED TO ABOUT 100 FT, THEN APPEAR TO LOSE ALT. THE ELEVATOR TRIM SURFACES WERE FOUND IN THE 1 TO 2 DEG UP-TRIM POSITION. ACCORDING TO PROCEDURES, THE FLAPS SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN RETRACTED UNTIL ABOVE 400 FT AGL.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,570 hours in all; 2,600 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days; 4,800 as pilot in command; 1,300 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 48,327 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, October 17, 1983; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 48,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-2800 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: BIS Bismark ND
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 31, 6,898 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 300° at 8 knots
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded at 200 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.