Accident Overview
On July 31, 2024, at about 0720 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180 airplane, registration N903US, was destroyed when it crashed in an agricultural field near Irene, South Dakota. The pilot, who held a private pilot certificate for single-engine airplanes without an instrument rating, was fatally injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Flight Details
The airplane departed Joe Foss Field Airport (FSD) in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, at 0701, destined for Chan Gurney Municipal Airport (YKN) in Yankton, South Dakota, for maintenance. No flight plan was filed, and the pilot was not in contact with air traffic control. According to Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data, the airplane flew on a predominantly southwest heading at 3,700 ft mean sea level (msl). At 0718, a descent began and continued until the last recorded data point at 0720:52. During the final minute, the airplane made a descending left turn to the south followed by a descending right turn. The final data point was about 400 ft east of the airplane’s final resting point.
Weather Conditions
A review of weather data around the time of the accident indicated that conditions at the intended destination airport were 1/4 statute mile visibility and fog, with ceilings broken at 200 ft and overcast at 1,900 ft.
Wreckage and Impact Evidence
The airplane came to rest on a south heading in an agricultural field. A postimpact fire ensued, consuming the cockpit and most of the forward fuselage. The main wreckage was about 100 ft west of a north-south gravel road, and broken tree limbs were found to the east bordering the road. All structural components and flight control surfaces were located along the debris path or within the main wreckage.
The left wing remained intact and attached to the fuselage, with extensive fire damage to the inboard end. The left flap and aileron remained connected. The right wing was separated from the fuselage and found alongside it, with the outboard end displaced rearward. About 4 ft of the outboard right wing was separated and found on the opposite side of the road. This portion had a semi-circular dent in the leading edge consistent with a tree strike, and small tree limb fragments were embedded in the leading edge skin. The right flap and aileron remained partially attached, and the flaps were found in the retracted position.
The fuselage exhibited extensive fire damage, with most of the cabin structure consumed by the postimpact fire. The firewall showed rearward crushing. The aft fuselage was partially intact with thermal damage. The empennage remained attached with all control surfaces. The vertical tail, rudder, and left horizontal stabilator had no damage except from the postimpact fire. The right side of the horizontal stabilator had extensive thermal damage and appeared bent downward at the leading edge.
Engine and Propeller Examination
Post-accident examination revealed no anomalies with the engine that would have precluded normal operations. The propeller exhibited chordwise scaring, S-shape bending, and leading edge gouging, consistent with power production at the time of impact.
Flight Control Continuity
Flight control continuity was established to the extent possible given the condition of the wreckage. All flight control cables remained attached from their respective control surfaces to the cockpit, except for a single break in the aileron drive control cable. The break was about 3 inches from its attachment near the control column and was consistent with overload damage.