Bert Mooney Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Butte, Montana 59701
Saturday, May 8, 1999 15:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he was practicing a short field approach with a high rate of descent. The pilot stated that he did not maintain sufficient airspeed to arrest the descent and the aircraft landed hard. The left main landing gear collapsed, and as the aircraft departed the side of the runway, the left wing collided with runway markers.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper flare.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/8/1999
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City BUTTE
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59701
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BERT MOONEY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BTM
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 5545
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
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) 208
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 14 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 834
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N124GH
NTSB Number SEA99LA061
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 Eugene Hughes
Aircraft Model LANCAIR IV
Aircraft Series Identifier LANCAIR IV
Aircraft Serial Number LIV-080
Certified Max Gross Weight 3500
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 28 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 99
Airframe Hours 99
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EUGENE F. HUGHES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5 GREEN LANE
Aircraft Owner City BUTTE
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59701
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code BTM
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1515
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 Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 29
Runway Length 5101
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --