Piper PA32 accident near Spearfish, South Dakota, December 28, 2017
On December 28, 2017 at about 7:15 pm local time, a 1981 Piper PA32, registered N11KX, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Spearfish, South Dakota (Black Hills-Clyde Ice Field). 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadvertent landing in snow adjacent to the snow-covered runway resulting in a collision with runway signs.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 28, 2017 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Spearfish, South Dakota · Black Hills-Clyde Ice Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA32 301T, built 1981 · all PA32s on the register
- Registration
- N11KX · registry record · serial 32-8224004
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that following an instrument approach in light snow, he inadvertently landed in the safety area to the left of the snow-covered runway. During landing, both wings collided with runway signs. The pilot taxied the airplane to parking. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Ground collision during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Snow › Effect on personnel
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,586.8 hours in all; 1,503.4 in this make and model; 36.7 in the last 90 days; 14.1 in the last 30 days; 1,506 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 5, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 28, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-S1AD (turboprop); 680 hours total
- Operator: Stamm Air LLC.
The flight
- Departed from: MCK Mccook NE at 4:15 pm
- Destination: SPF Spearfish SD
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 13, 6,401 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; a few clouds at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 14°F (-10°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 6:15 pm from KSPF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number GAA18CA094.