Cessna 172I accident near Isabel, South Dakota, March 11, 1990
On March 11, 1990 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172I, registered N35485, was substantially damaged in an accident near Isabel, South Dakota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR THE WIND CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 11, 1990 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Isabel, South Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172I · all 172Is on the register
- Registration
- N35485 · no longer on the register · serial 17256795
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT ENCOUNTERED A WHIRLWIND WHILE ON FINAL TO HIS RANCH AIRSTRIP. HE SAID THE TURBULENCE WAS SEVERE AND THE PLANE LANDED HARD, DAMAGING THE LANDING GEAR, THE PROPELLER, AND TEARING THE LEFT WING LOOSE AT THE ROOT. THE PILOT ORIGINALLY REPORTED 'MINOR' DAMAGE, BUT LATER REPORTED 'SUBSTANTIAL' DAMAGE TO THE FAA.
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: 1,575 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 9:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 2,600 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.