Piper PA-22-108 accident near Custer, SD
On September 8, 2000, a Piper PA-22-108 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Custer, SD. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- September 8, 2000
- Place
- Custer, SD
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-108 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 43.760°N, 103.600°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001212X21915
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On September 8, 2000, at 0820 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-22-108, N4730Z, operated by a private pilot, was destroyed when after takeoff from the Custer State Park Airport, Custer, South Dakota, it struck a tree, and subsequently impacted into the wall of a canyon. A post-crash fire ensued. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. There was no flight plan on file. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger on board were fatally injured in the accident. The local flight originated at Custer, South Dakota at 0810. A witness said that N4730Z was one of two airplanes that were going to fly by Mount Rushmore, so that the witness could have his airplane photographed against the backdrop of the mountain. The witness said that both airplane's taxied out to the end of runway 33 (4,000 feet by 50 feet, dry asphalt), and performed their preflight checks and engine run-ups. The witness said the winds at the airport were pretty much a crosswind, but seemed to favor runway 33. The witness said that N4730Z departed first. "About halfway down the runway, he got airborne. He then pushed the nose over, as if he was trying to pick up more airspeed." The witness said he keyed his microphone and asked the pilot of N4730Z, "You got trouble there?" The pilot responded, "No, just a little trouble climbing." The witness called the pilot again and said, "Turn into the wind, if you think it will help you out." The witness said that the pilot's re
Probable cause
The pilot not maintaining clearance from the tree. Factors relating to this accident were the pilot's inadequate preflight planning and preparation, the high density altitude, the inadequate rate of climb, the pilot's improper in-flight decision to fly into rising terrain, the rising terrain, the blind canyon, and the tree.
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Browse: South Dakota · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
