Kalispell City Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kalispell, Montana 59901
Saturday, July 18, 1998 14:52 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was landing on runway 13. He reported the winds as being from approximately 100 degrees at approximately 10 knots, gusting to approximately 15 knots. He reported that the aircraft 'ground looped well into the landing roll' at an estimated speed of 35 MPH (the aircraft's landing-configuration stall speed is 36 MPH), and that the aircraft came to rest to the left of the runway. The pilot reported that no mechanical failure or malfunction was involved.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions. A factor was gusty wind conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/18/1998
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1452
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City KALISPELL
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59901
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport KALISPELL CITY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID S27
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 2932
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
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) 38
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 15
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 860
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 18 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1410
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 16 2001 11:57AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N64KM
NTSB Number SEA98LA143
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 McCarty
Aircraft Model AVID MAGNUM
Aircraft Series Identifier AVID MAGNU
Aircraft Serial Number KM-2
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Sep 12 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KIRK A. MCCARTY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4800 E. MERCER WAY
Aircraft Owner City MERCER ISLAND
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98040
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code S27
Departure City KALISPELL
Departure State MT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
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 --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 20 2001 6:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 13
Runway Length 3600
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --