Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Seeley Lake, Montana 59868
Monday, July 4, 1994 15:58 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES REPORTED OBSERVING THE AIRCRAFT FLYING LOW AND SLOW DROPPING PING PONG BALLS FROM A DISPENSING TUBE WHILE IN FLIGHT. A VIDEOTAPE OF THE FLIGHT IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE CRASH SHOWED THE AIRCRAFT ROLLING RIGHT AND DESCENDING TO THE GROUND. THE TAPE ALSO SHOWED THAT THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE DESCENDING TURN THE LEFT AILERON WAS OBSERVED DEFLECTED UPWARDS TO VARYING DEGREES AND THE RIGHT AILERON WAS OBSERVED DEFLECTED IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF CONTROL OR POWERPLANT MALFUNCTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN FLYING AIRSPEED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/4/1994
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1558
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City SEELEY LAKE
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59868
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1550 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 220
Weather Observation Facility ID MSO
Elevation of weather observation facility 3201
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 31
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1139
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 4 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1544
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:46AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N88114
NTSB Number SEA94FA163
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model J3C-65
Aircraft Series Identifier J3C-65
Aircraft Serial Number 15727
Certified Max Gross Weight 1220
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 24 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1017
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LINDEMER, L. W.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 45 EAST GOLDEN LAKE ROAD
Aircraft Owner City CIRCLE PINES
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55014
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name LINDEMER, LEWIS W.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 45 EAST GOLDEN LAKE ROAD
Operator City CIRCLE PINES
Operator State MN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 55014
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --