Trails End Ranch Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pony, Montana 59747
Wednesday, April 14, 1993 15:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO TAKEOFF ON A 3700 FT. LONG SOD STRIP THAT WAS COVERED WITH ABOUT 3 INCHES OF NEW, SOFT, WET SNOW AND THE ACFT DID NOT ATTAIN TAKEOFF AIRSPEED DURING GROUND ROLL. THE ACFT LIFTED OFF, STALLED/ MUSHED, AND IMPACTED AN EMBANKMENT OFF THE END OF THE STRIP.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE IMPROPER PREFLT PLANNING BY THE PIC AND HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN TAKEOFF AIRSPEED DURING GROUND ROLL ON A SOFT SNOW COVERED AIRSTRIP. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE SOFT SNOW ON THE AIRSTRIP.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/14/1993
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City PONY
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59747
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TRAILS END RANCH
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
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 5800
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1500 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 60
Weather Observation Facility ID BZN
Elevation of weather observation facility 4474
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 32
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
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) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 5770
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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) 174
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 14 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1455
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50521
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N79505
NTSB Number SEA93LA093
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172K
Aircraft Series Identifier 172K
Aircraft Serial Number 17258137
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 24 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 35
Airframe Hours 5655
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BIG SKY FLYING CLUB, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 429
Aircraft Owner City ENNIS
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59729
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BIG SKY FLYING CLUB, INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 429
Operator City ENNIS
Operator State MT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 59729
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 5U3
Destination City ENNIS
Destination State MT
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 18
Runway Length 3700
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --