National Transportation Safety Board
Aviation Accident Preliminary Report
Location:

Salem, SD

Accident Number:

CEN19LA053

Date & Time:

01/13/2019, 1425 CST

Registration:

N75191

Aircraft:

Piper PA28

Injuries:

1 Fatal

Flight Conducted Under:

Part 91: General Aviation - Personal

On January 13, 2019, about 1425 central standard time, a Piper PA28 181 airplane, N75191,
impacted terrain about 6 miles south of Salem, South Dakota. The private pilot, the only
person on board, was fatally injured and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane
was owned and operated by the pilot as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal
flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the area and no flight plan was filed
for the cross-country flight that originated from the Mitchell Municipal Airport (MHE),
Mitchell, South Dakota, and was destined for Mary Skie-Lincoln County Airport (Y14), Tea,
South Dakota.
The pilot reported to Sioux Falls Approach Control that he was having chest pains and was
blacking out. The controller tried to get the pilot to land anywhere. The controller lost radio
contact with the airplane about 1425.
According to initial information from the McCook County Sheriff's Office, they were notified by
a controller that a man in a small airplane was having a medical emergency and were given an
approximate location of the airplane. Search and rescue personnel along with officers from the
sheriff's office were dispatched. About 1430, they were notified that air traffic control had lost
all communication with the airplane. About 1435, their dispatch received notification that the
airplane had been located.
According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the pilot held a private pilot
certificate with airplane single-engine land and instrument ratings. The pilot held an FAA third
class medical certificate, dated October 5, 2016. On the application for that medical certificate,
he reported that he had accumulated 2,250 hours of total flight tine and had accumulated 50
hours of flight time in the six months before the application. That medical certificate was
issued with the following limitation: Must wear corrective lenses.
N75191 was a 1976-model Piper PA28 181, four-place, single-engine, low-wing, fixed tricycle
landing gear, semi-monocoque design airplane with serial number 28-7690310. According to
maintenance records, the airplane was powered by a normally aspirated, direct drive, aircooled, horizontally opposed, carburetor equipped, four cylinder, 180-horsepower Lycoming
Page 1 of 3

CEN19LA053

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when
the final report has been completed.

 O-360 engine with serial number L-1039-36A, which drove a two-blade fixed pitch Sensenich
propeller.
At 1422, the recorded weather and MHE was: Wind 200° at 13 knots; visibility 10 statute miles;
sky condition overcast clouds at 1,500 ft; temperature 1° C; dew point -3° C; altimeter 30.30
inches of mercury.
According to initial information from the McCook County Sheriff's Office, the airplane
wreckage was located in a harvested crop field about 30 nautical miles and 108° from MHE.
The wreckage was subsequently photographically documented. Review of the sheriff's
information and photographs revealed the cockpit of the airplane was crushed. All major
components of the airplane can be accounted for in the photographs. The tail of the plane was
facing north. A debris field and tracks in the field showed the airplane had made contact with
the ground about 600 to 800 ft north of the airplane's resting spot. The total debris field was
about 600 ft long 300 ft at the widest part and was cone shaped, getting wider to the south.
About 100 ft southeast of the airplane the pilot was found. The airplane wreckage was removed
from the scene and was placed in a secure building.
The McCook County Coroner was asked to arrange for an autopsy to be performed on the pilot
and to have toxicological samples taken.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make:

Piper

Registration:

N75191

Model/Series:

PA28 181

Aircraft Category:

Airplane

Amateur Built:

No

Operator:

On file

Operating Certificate(s)
Held:

None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site:

Visual Conditions

Condition of Light:

Day

Observation Facility, Elevation:

KMHE, 1299 ft msl

Observation Time:

1422 CST

Distance from Accident Site:

30 Nautical Miles

Temperature/Dew Point:

1°C / -3°C

Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction:

13 knots / , 200°

Lowest Cloud Condition:
Lowest Ceiling:

Overcast / 1500 ft agl

Visibility:

10 Miles

Altimeter Setting:

30.3 inches Hg

Type of Flight Plan Filed:

None

Departure Point:

Mitchell, SD (MHE)

Destination:

Tea, SD (Y14)

Page 2 of 3

CEN19LA053

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when
the final report has been completed.

 Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries:

1 Fatal

Aircraft Damage:

Substantial

Passenger Injuries:

N/A

Aircraft Fire:

None

Ground Injuries:

N/A

Aircraft Explosion:

None

Total Injuries:

1 Fatal

Latitude, Longitude:

43.618611, -97.381111 (est)

Administrative Information
Investigator In Charge (IIC):

Edward F Malinowski

Additional Participating Persons:

William J Howell; Federal Aviation Administration; Rapid City, SD
Jonathon Hirsch; Piper Aircraft; Vero Beach, FL
Troy Helgeson; Lycoming Engines; Williamsport, PA

Note:

Page 3 of 3

The NTSB did not travel to the scene of this accident.

CEN19LA053

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when
the final report has been completed.