Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Melstone, Montana 59054
Tuesady, July 7, 1992 12:15 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AT THE END OF A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS INTENDING TO LAND ON A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP THAT HE HAD NOT BEEN INTO BEFORE. THE DAY BEFORE THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT HAD CONTACTED THE OWNER FOR DIRECTIONS AND THE CONDITION OF THE STRIP. WHEN THE FLIGHT ARRIVED, THE PILOT FOUND AN AREA THAT LOOKED LIKE WHAT THE OWNER HAD DESCRIBED. THE PILOT NOTED THAT THE FIELD LOOKED WET, SO A SOFT FIELD LANDING WAS INITIATED. WHILE ON SHORT FINAL, THE PILOT NOTED THAT THE SURFACE WAS VERY ROUGH. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN AND WAS ALMOST STOPPED WHEN THE NOSE WHEEL BOUNCED ON A MOUND OF DIRT. WHEN THE NOSE WHEEL CONTACTED THE SURFACE, IT SUNK INTO THE SOFT SOIL AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. LATER, THE PILOT FOUND OUT THAT THE AREA WHERE HE HAD LANDED WAS, IN FACT, NOT THE AIRSTRIP, BUT A CONSTRUCTION SITE FOR A RAILROAD OPERATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE IN FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: UNSUITABLE TERRAIN WAS SELECTED, ROUGH/UNEVEN TERRAIN AND A GO AROUND WAS NOT PERFORMED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/7/1992
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1215
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City MELSTONE
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59054
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 7
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 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 6000
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 275
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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) 3027
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 7 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1223
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46642
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:06PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N97046
NTSB Number SEA92LA146
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182Q
Aircraft Series Identifier 182Q
Aircraft Serial Number 18266952
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
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 Jul 3 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 1456
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name COGSWELL AGENCY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 800 9TH ST SO.
Aircraft Owner City GREAT FALLS
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59403
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name COGSWELL AGENCY
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 800 9TH ST SO.
Operator City GREAT FALLS
Operator State MT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 59403
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BIL
Departure City BILLINGS
Departure State MT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1145
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 Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --