Piper PA-36 accident near Onida, South Dakota, June 19, 1986
On June 19, 1986 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-36, registered N3856E, was destroyed in an accident near Onida, South Dakota (Onida airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 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 19, 1986 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Onida, South Dakota · Onida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-36 · all PA-36s on the register
- Registration
- N3856E · no longer on the register · serial 36-780202
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED A PARTIAL LOSS OF PWR OCCURRED MOMENTARILY BEFORE LIFTOFF. THE TAKEOFF WAS CONTINUED AND ONCE AIRBORNE THE PWR LOSS REOCCURRED. THE LOAD WAS DUMPED, HOWEVER, THE ACFT IMPACTED TREES APRX 1 MILE FROM THE ARPT AS SUFFICIENT ALT COULD NOT BE MAINTAINED. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED THE #2 AND #8 CYLINDER INTAKE VALVES WERE TULIPED AND WOULD NOT CLOSE. THE #2, #6 AND #8 OUTLET TOWER BLOCKS ON THE MAGNETO WERE CROSSFIRING WHICH RESULTED IN PRE-IGNITION TO THOSE CYLINDERS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,561 hours in all; 904 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,321 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 2, 1986; 234 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,800 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-720 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 98D Onida SD at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 2,350 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from PIR, 30 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.
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.