Piper PA-32-300 accident near Pierre, SD
On January 14, 2006, a Piper PA-32-300 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Pierre, SD. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- January 14, 2006
- Place
- Pierre, SD
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 5 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 44.394°N, 100.287°W
- NTSB ID
- 20060120X00102
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On January 14, 2006, about 1225 central standard time, a Piper PA-32-300, N8745E, operated by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage on impact with a ravine during a forced landing following an in-flight loss of engine power during takeoff from runway 13 at the Pierre Regional Airport (PIR), Pierre, South Dakota. The personal flight was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was on file. One passenger was fatally injured. The pilot and four passengers were seriously injured and were hospitalized. The local flight was originating from PIR at the time of the accident. Two witnesses were in an area south of the airport. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector interviewed the witnesses. The FAA interview with one witness, in part, stated: He stated that he was goose hunting on his property that day. He estimated that they were as much as a mile south of the airport. He said this plane caught their attention, because the sound it made caught their attention. I asked what sound? [The witness] stated the aircraft was in the pattern and then it "backfired, sputtered and died." I asked where the airplane was when he heard the noise? He stated that as soon as he looked at it, it appeared to be 150 to 200 feet in the air. It looked like it was just climbing out. I asked what happened next? He stated that the aircraft turned to the left. It looked like it was going back to the airport. ... [The witness] stated that the best way he could describe the
Probable cause
The loss of engine power during takeoff-initial climb due to the pilot's failure to correctly position the fuel selector, which resulted in fuel starvation and a forced landing.
More accidents in SD
- Beech 1900, Jan 29, 2025
- Pilatus PC12, Nov 30, 2019
- Hughes 369HS, Jul 6, 1985
- Piper PA 32R-300, Apr 28, 2014
- Cessna 421C, Dec 9, 2011
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.
