Cessna 140 N73000

Summary

On 8 September 2019 at about 05:00 local time, a Cessna 140 registered N73000 was involved in an accident near Lakeview, South Dakota, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 September 2019 at 05:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Lakeview, South Dakota, United States

Nearest airport

Private Airstrip (None)

Coordinates

43.0394, -100.8056

Aircraft

Cessna 140

Registration

N73000

Category

Airplane

Year built

1946

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Aerial Observation

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lakeview → Lakeview

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

CEN19FA307

2 people died.

The student pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane, which resulted in the exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle-of-attack, an aerodynamic stall, and subsequent impact with terrain, and the student pilot’s non-compliance and lack of experience.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot was conducting a low-level aerial observation flight with his son to determine the level of water in towers on farms nearby. The time of the student pilot’s departure from his private airstrip and the time of the accident could not be determined. The amount of fuel in the airplane at takeoff was undetermined. After contact from concerned family members, law enforcement located the wreckage the next day about 825 ft from the approach end of the pilot's airstrip. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Airplane wreckage and impact signatures were consistent with the airplane being configured for landing. Propeller signatures indicated little or no rotation at the time of impact. The impact damage was consistent with a loss of control in flight, followed by the exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall. The reason for the loss of control in flight could not be determined. The student pilot was taught to fly by his grandfather. It is possible the student pilot was teaching his son to fly; however, it was undetermined if that was occurring during the accident flight. The pilot held a student pilot certificate and therefore was prohibited by regulation from carrying a passenger. Additionally, the student pilot's endorsement for flight operations was expired, and he did not hold an endorsement for the accident airplane make and model.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.