Air & Space 18A accident near South Shore, SD
On May 19, 2003, an Air & Space 18A (gyroplane) was involved in an accident near South Shore, SD. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- May 19, 2003
- Place
- South Shore, SD
- Aircraft
- Air & Space 18A · Gyroplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 45.102°N, 96.885°W
- NTSB ID
- 20030523X00723
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On May 19, 2003, about 0130 central daylight time, an Air & Space 18A gyroplane, N6155S, owned and piloted by a student pilot, was destroyed when it impacted terrain near South Shore, South Dakota. Marginal visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot was fatally injured. The flight departed Joe Foss Field Airport (FSD), Sioux Falls, South Dakota, about 1230 and was en route to the Sisseton Municipal Airport (8D3), Sisseton, South Dakota. The flight originally departed from the Marion Municipal Airport (43K), Marion Kansas. The pilot made a fuel stop, landing the gyroplane at FSD. Prior to his departure from FSD, the local control tower was closed. The gyroplane subsequently departed FSD to continue the flight to 8D3. While on the ground at FSD, the pilot had the gyroplane's fuel tanks filled. An employee at a fixed base operator reported that the gyroplane arrived at FSD about 2330 on May 18, 2003. The employee stated that the pilot asked if there was a place where he could check the weather. The employee stated that he believed that the weather was of concern to the pilot. He stated that the pilot told him that he had a difficult time finding FSD. The accident site was located about 39 statute miles from 8D3 on a direct line from FSD to 8D3. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot held a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) student pilot/medical certificate that was issued on February 28, 2003. The certificate listed the following
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the terrain. The pilot's lack of experience, the rain, the dark night, the low ceiling, and the rising terrain were contributing factors to the accident.
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Browse: South Dakota
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
