Amateur-built AA-1C accident near Rapid City, South Dakota, May 23, 1984
On May 23, 1984 at about 11:30 pm local time, a amateur-built AA-1C, registered N9803U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rapid City, South Dakota. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 1984 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Rapid City, South Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-1C
- Registration
- N9803U · registry record · serial 0129
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH ROLLING TERRAIN WHILE ON A DUAL TRAINING FLT. THE CFI STATED THAT THE STUDENT PLT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF DOING A SIMULATED ENGINE OUT FORCED LANDING WHEN HE RAISED THE NOSE TOO HIGH. THE CFI AND STUDENT WERE DISCUSSING THE TERRAIN WHEN THE CFI NOTICED A HIGH SINK RATE AND TOOK THE ACFT CONTROLS. WITH POWER ON, ACCORDING TO THECFI, THE ACFT CONTINUED TO DESCEND. HE SAID THAT JUST PRIOR TO GROUND IMPACT HE RAISED THE NOSE ABRUPTLY TO ALLOW THE LANDING GEAR TO ABSORB THE IMPACT. THE ACFT WAS IN A 25 DEGREE BANK AT IMPACT SO THE RIGHT WING ABSORBED THE SHOCK AND WAS SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT WHICH PIVOTED ABOUT 120 DEGREES AND NOSED OVER. NO MALFUNCTION OF EQUIPMENT WAS REPORTED.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,463 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 165 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 10, 1983; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Silver Wings Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: RAP at 9:35 pm
- Destination: RAP
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 25 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DEN84FA159.