Glacier Park Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kalispell, Montana 59901
Friday, February 23, 1990 16:15 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT SAID HE WAS MAKING HIS FIRST FLIGHT IN THIS AMATEUR BUILT FOKKER TRI-PLANE REPLICA. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT ON FINAL APPROACH FOR LANDING WHEN IT BEGAN A RIGHT TURN. AFTER TURNING ABOUT 180 DEGREES THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A SPIN AND CRASHED. THE PILOT SAID ONE OR TWO OF THE WINGS STALLED. AN FAA INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE WRECKAGE & REPORTED THAT HE DID NOT OBSERVE ANY PHYSICAL EVIDENCE TO EXPLAIN THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL. HIS LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THIS AIRCRAFT WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/23/1990
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1615
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City KALISPELL
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59901
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GLACIER PARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FCA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 2975
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
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) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 48
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 23 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40546
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N72517
NTSB Number DEN90LA067
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 HEINDENREICH
Aircraft Model FOKKER DR-1
Aircraft Series Identifier FOKKER DR-
Aircraft Serial Number H-1
Certified Max Gross Weight 1462
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES E. SMITH
Aircraft Owner Street Address CRYSTAL LAKES RESORT
Aircraft Owner City FORTUNE
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59918
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 FCA
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1610
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code FCA
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 20
Runway Length 8000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --