Fairgrounds Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hardin, Montana 59034
Saturday, June 7, 1997 6:02 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot turned onto final approach for runway 4 just after 0600 hours and found that his approach was directly into the early morning sunrise. He reported that he 'could no longer see (his) instrument panel or the runway.' He said he then 'added power to go around' and that 'the next thing was the sound of the airplane hitting the ground.' The pilot reported that he waited too long to abort the landing. The sun's angle of elevation was determined to be 5.23 degrees above the horizon, and the angle of azimuth was determined to be 48.41 degrees magnetic.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the student's delay in initiating a go-around. A factor relating to the accident was: the sunglare.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/7/1997
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 602
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City HARDIN
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59034
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FAIRGROUNDS AIRPARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MT02
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 2911
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 556 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 262
Weather Observation Facility ID BIL
Elevation of weather observation facility 3649
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 44
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Dawn
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
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 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) 896
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 7 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 917
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:21PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8522T
NTSB Number SEA97LA131
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 Cessna
Aircraft Model 182C
Aircraft Series Identifier 182C
Aircraft Serial Number 52422
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 9 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 36
Airframe Hours 5094
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CARSON, ROBERT, T.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2936 WEST LOUCKS STREET
Aircraft Owner City SHERIDAN
Aircraft Owner State WY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 82801
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
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 No
Departure Airport Code SHR
Departure City SHERIDAN
Departure State WY
Departure Country
Departure Time 520
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code MT02
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 4
Runway Length 3542
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --