Boeing A75 accident near Tea, South Dakota, May 26, 1985
On May 26, 1985 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Boeing A75, registered N555, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tea, South Dakota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. 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
- May 26, 1985 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Tea, South Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing A75 · all A75s on the register
- Registration
- N555 · registry record · serial 75-1456
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE OWNER/PLT-IN-COMMAND (PIC) TOOK OFF ON A LOCAL FLT WITH ANOTHER OCCUPANT IN THE FRONT SEAT. THE FRONT SEAT OCCUPANT WAS A COMMERCIAL, SINGLE-ENG, MULTI-ENG PLT WITH AN INSTRUCTOR RATING, BUT HE HAD NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IN A75 ACFT. WHILE IN FLT, THE PIC ALLOWED THE FRONT SEAT PLT TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE ACFT. AS THE FRONT SEAT PLT ENTERED A TURN AT LOW ALT NEAR THE ARPT, THE PIC ADVANCED THE THROTTLE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED IN THE TURN. AT THAT TIME, THE FRONT SEAT PLT THOUGHT THE PIC HAD TAKEN CONTROL OF THE ACFT; HE THOUGHT THEY WERE RETURNING BACK TO THE ARPT. THE ACFT CONTINUED TURNING & ENTERED A DESCENT. THE PIC THOUGHT THE FRONT SEAT PLT WAS STILL CONTROLLING THE ACFT & WAS GOING TO MAKE A LOW PASS. SINCE THE FRONT SEAT PLT WAS AN INSTRUCTOR WITH OVER 1000 HRS OF FLT TIME, THE PIC DID NOT QUESTION THE MANEUVER. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT IMPACTED THE GROUND WHILE STILL IN A STEEP DESCENT.
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: 765 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 720 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,250 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 14, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental W-670 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Y14 at 10:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:40 pm from FSD, 12 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N555 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.