Cessna 182L accident near Aberdeen, South Dakota, July 26, 1987
On July 26, 1987 at about 6:47 pm local time, a Cessna 182L, registered N3371R, was destroyed in an accident near Aberdeen, South Dakota (Aberdeen Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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
- July 26, 1987 · about 6:47 pm local time
- Place
- Aberdeen, South Dakota · Aberdeen Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182L · all 182Ls on the register
- Registration
- N3371R · registry record · serial 18258671
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS TAKING OFF ON RWY 13 AT ABERDEEN, SD, MUNI ARPT. HE SAID WHEN HE REACHED 55 MPH HE ROTATED THE ACFT AND THE STALL WARNING HORN SOUNDED. HE SAID HE ALLOWED THE NOSEWHEEL TO SETTLE BACK ON THE RWY. THE ACFT THEN VEERED RIGHT AND LEFT, THEN DEPARTED THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RWY AND OVERTURNED. SHREDDED REMAINS OF THE NOSEWHEEL TIRE WERE FOUND ON THE RWY. IMPRESSIONS WERE FOUND OF THE ASPHALT SURFACE OF THE RWY CONSISTENT WITH TIRE RIM CONTACT. THE ACFT OPERATOR SAID THE NOSEWHEEL WAS INSTALLED ON FEBRUARY 1, 1983, AT A TACHOMETER READING OF 1963:47 HRS, A DIFFERENCE OF 699 HRS. THE CASING WAS IN FAIR CONDITION. ACCORDING TO AN A&P MECHANIC, A PATCH FOUND ON THE INSIDE OF THE CASING WAS A BALANCE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE BALANCE CAUSED THE TIRE TO FAIL.
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: 103 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 64 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,662 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 18, 1986; 73 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: MIC Minneapolis MN
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 13, 6,904 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:04 pm from ABR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.