Pilatus PC12 accident near Chamberlain, SD
On November 30, 2019, a Pilatus PC12 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Chamberlain, SD. 9 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- November 30, 2019
- Place
- Chamberlain, SD
- Aircraft
- Pilatus PC12 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 9 fatal, 3 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 43.766°N, 99.337°W
- NTSB ID
- 20191130X65423
Official records · CEN20FA022
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- ATC Transcript -- Minneapolis Center/flight Data Position: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn November 30, 2019, at 1233 central standard time, a Pilatus PC-12/47E airplane, N56KJ, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Chamberlain, South Dakota. The pilot and 8 passengers were fatally injured, and three passengers were seriously injured. The airplane was operated by the pilot as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot and passengers flew to Chamberlain Municipal Airport (9V9) the day before the accident, arriving about 0927. The airplane then remained parked outside on the ramp. A representative of a local lodge reported that the pilot and passengers stayed overnight. The morning of the accident, the pilot and one passenger stayed back while everyone else went hunting. The representative took the pilot and passenger to the airport to check on the airplane. The pilot thought there would be favorable weather between 1130 and 1430. They took a ladder from the lodge and stopped at a local hardware store to buy isopropyl alcohol. The pilot and passenger worked for about 3 hours to remove the snow and ice that had accumulated on the airplane overnight. The representative noted that the ladder they brought from the lodge was approximately 7 feet tall and did not reach to the top of the tail on the airplane. The pilot stated that they needed to get home, that the airplane was 98% good, and the remaining ice would come off during takeoff. The lodge representative recalled that it was snowing hard at the time the pilot took off. At 1224, the pilot contacted Minneapolis Air Route Traffic Control Center (ART
Probable cause
The pilot’s loss of control shortly after takeoff, which resulted in an inadvertent, low-altitude aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s improper loading of the airplane, which resulted in reduced static longitudinal stability and his decision to depart into low instrument meteorological conditions.
More accidents in SD
- Beech 1900, Jan 29, 2025
- Hughes 369HS, Jul 6, 1985
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- Cessna 421C, Dec 9, 2011
- Bell 206L-1, Sep 10, 2002
Browse: South Dakota · Pilatus 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.
