Christavia MK1 N3177F

Summary

On 31 January 2022 at about 00:10 local time, a Christavia MK1 registered N3177F was involved in an accident near Oral, South Dakota, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 January 2022 at 00:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Oral, South Dakota, United States

Coordinates

43.3752, -103.2978

Aircraft

Christavia MK1

Registration

N3177F

Category

Airplane

Year built

1992

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN22FA109

1 person died.

The noncertificated pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane, which led to the airplane exceeding its critical angle-of-attack and subsequent aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to attempt a flight with no previous flight experience.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The noncertificated pilot, who had no previous training or flight experience, texted his friend to ask if he, the pilot, could taxi the airplane on a private airstrip, which was located at the friend’s residence. At the time of the pilot’s request, the friend was not at his residence. The friend arrived home about 1645 and observed the pilot taxiing the airplane. About 1700, the friend observed the airplane airborne, and the pilot completed two touch-and-go landings on the private airstrip. The airplane departed to the south and did not return. About 30 minutes later, the friend located the accident airplane, which had crashed in a field near the pilot’s residence, about 2 miles from his private airstrip. There were no witnesses to the accident. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical anomalies or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The ground scar, impact signatures on the airplane structure, and wreckage fragmentation patterns were consistent with an aerodynamic stall, loss of control, and impact with terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.