Whitetail Ranch Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ovando, Montana 59854
Wednesday, August 15, 1990 8:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND AT A PRIVATE GRASS STRIP, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A FENCE POST. DURING IMPACT, MOST OF THE RIGHT STABILIZER & ALL OF THE RIGHT ELEVATOR SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED FLYING & THE PILOT FLEW IT BACK TO THE POINT OF DEPARTURE & LANDED SUCCESSFULLY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S MISJUDGEMENT OF ALTITUDE AND DISTANCE TO THE RUNWAY, WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, AND HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT FOR LANDING. THE FENCE WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/15/1990
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 800
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City OVANDO
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59854
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WHITETAIL RANCH
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 4000
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1750 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 280
Weather Observation Facility ID HLN
Elevation of weather observation facility 3873
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 62
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
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) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
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) 0
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) 482
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 15 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 905
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41416
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:17PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8343Q
NTSB Number SEA90LA164
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 A185F
Aircraft Series Identifier A185F
Aircraft Serial Number 18503662
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN J. MCKENNA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1711 W. COLLEGE
Aircraft Owner City BOZEMAN
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59715
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 No
Departure Airport Code BZN
Departure City BOZEMAN
Departure State MT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300
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 Approach
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 2000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --