Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sula, Montana 59871
Saturday, September 26, 1998 17:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that after landing on a 24-foot-wide road, he initiated a 180-degree turn to the left in order to back-taxi to the tiedown area. He stated that as he steered the aircraft to the right (to give himself room to complete the 180-degree turn), he felt the aircraft 'being pulled...or pushed...too close to the edge of the road' (which has ditches and fences on both sides) and applied brakes. He stated that 'Between aggressive braking, forward momentum, and wind, the aircraft nosed over and landed upside down at the edge of the road....' While the pilot did not explicitly report his landing direction, he reported that he had 'an unusual easterly wind' for the landing, and that 'I have always been able to land to the west' at that location. The pilot reported that no mechanical failure or malfunction was involved.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

An excessive brake application by the pilot. Factors included a narrow landing area, the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a 180-degree taxi turn, and a tailwind.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/26/1998
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City SULA
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59871
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 9
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 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 3000
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 10
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 1277
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 8 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1504
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:47AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N992WY
NTSB Number SEA98LA195
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 Evarts Aviation Inc.
Aircraft Model KITFOX IV 1200
Aircraft Series Identifier KITFOX IV
Aircraft Serial Number LCU139
Certified Max Gross Weight 1200
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 Jul 2 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 33
Airframe Hours 471
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EVARTS AVIATION INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6892 HAYSTACK MOUNTAIN LANE
Aircraft Owner City POLSON
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59860
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 7S4
Departure City WISDOM
Departure State MT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
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 Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 2600
Runway Width 24
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --