Gallatin Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bozeman, Montana 59715
Saturday, March 18, 1995 12:00 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR LANDING, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE RELIED ON THE ALTIMETER TO DETERMINE ELEVATION, EVEN THOUGH HE FELT THAT HE WAS LOW. WHILE TURNING BASE TO FINAL APPROACH, THE PILOT REALIZED THAT HE WAS TOO LOW AND WAS NOT GOING TO MAKE THE RUNWAY. DURING A LEFT TURN TO MANEUVER TO AN ACCESS ROAD, THE LEFT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND AND THE GLIDER SPUN AROUND BEFORE COMING TO REST. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT GET THE CURRENT ALTIMETER SETTING FROM THE FSS BEFORE LANDING, AND NOTED THAT THE ALTIMETER READING WAS 170 FT HIGHER THAN FIELD ELEVATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT MISJUDGED HIS ALTITUDE AND DISTANCE FROM THE RUNWAY. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN THE CURRENT ALTIMETER SETTING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/18/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City BOZEMAN
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59715
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GALLATIN FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BZN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 4474
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1156 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID BZN
Elevation of weather observation facility 4474
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 12000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 5126
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 114
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 18 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1155
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:10PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5924
NTSB Number SEA95LA069
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Scheibe Flugzeugbau
Aircraft Model BERGFALKE II-55
Aircraft Series Identifier BERGFALKE
Aircraft Serial Number 85
Certified Max Gross Weight 970
Aircraft Category Glider
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 --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AGRICOLA PENNATUS
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 125
Aircraft Owner City BELGRADE
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59714
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name STRADLEY, ROGER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone MST
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 Approach
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 21
Runway Length 2650
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --