Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

West Glacier, Montana 59936
Wednesday, February 12, 1992 11:40 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT ENCOUNTERED IMC WEATHER CONDITIONS IN A MOUNTAIN PASS AND THE ACFT IMPACTED TERRAIN DURING A TURN TO REVERSE COURSE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE INFLIGHT ENCOUNTER WITH IMC WEATHER BY THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE MOUNTAINOUS/HILLY TERRAIN, AND LACK OF INSTRUMENT QUALIFICATION BY THE PILOT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/12/1992
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1140
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City WEST GLACIER
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59936
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 2
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1050 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 205
Weather Observation Facility ID FCA
Elevation of weather observation facility 2972
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 31
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 6066
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 6003
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46424
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:45PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number CGRRZ
NTSB Number SEA92FA046
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name GRUMMAN AMERICAN
Aircraft Model AA-5B
Aircraft Series Identifier AA-5B
Aircraft Serial Number AA5B-0279
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Foreign 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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 29 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 82
Airframe Hours 710
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SMITH, WILLARD A.
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 3007
Aircraft Owner City LACOMBE, ALB
Aircraft Owner State CD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode t0c 1s0
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SMITH, WILLARD A.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address BOX 3007
Operator City LACOMBE, ALB
Operator State CD
Operator Country
Operator Zip code t0c 1s0
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 EG3
Departure City LACOMBE
Departure State CD
Departure Country
Departure Time 935
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FCA
Destination City KALISPELL
Destination State MT
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --