Beech A-36 accident near Wall, South Dakota, April 13, 1986
On April 13, 1986 at about 8:25 pm local time, a Beech A-36, registered N4479W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wall, South Dakota (Wall Municipal airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- April 13, 1986 · about 8:25 pm local time
- Place
- Wall, South Dakota · Wall Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech A-36 · all A-36s on the register
- Registration
- N4479W · no longer on the register · serial 3-544
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT HE WAS MAKING A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING DUE TO WX, WHEN THE ACFT HE WAS PILOTING ENCOUNTERED AN UNEXPECTED CROSSWIND JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN. THE PLT SAID THE LEFT WING DIPPED & MADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. THE IMPACT RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. WITNESSES AT THE ACCIDENT SITE REPORTED THE VISIBILITY TO BE LESS THAN 1/2 MI WITH SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW.
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: 468 hours in all; 4 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,758 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 9, 1985; 63 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 9D1 Gregory SD at 7:45 pm
- Destination: RAP Rapid City SD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 3,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 15 knots
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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 N4479W 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.