Great Falls Int'l Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Great Falls, Montana 59404
Tuesady, April 26, 1988 19:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PRIVATE PLT WAS RETURNING HOME FROM A PERSONAL TRANSPORTATION FLIGHT WITH ONE PAX, ANOTHER PRIVATE PLT. BOTH MEN REPORTED THAT WHILE ON FINAL FOR RNWY 25, THE SUN WAS IN THEIR EYES AND HINDERED THEIR VISION. THE PLT IN COMMAND STATED THAT HE CANNOT REMEMBER TRIMMING THE ACFT FOR LANDING AND CANNOT REMEMBER FLARING FOR TOUCHDOWN. THE PAX REPORTED A SUDDEN NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AFTER PASSING THE THRESHOLD. THE PAX GRABBED THE YOKE AND APPLIED FULL UP ELEVATOR. THE ACFT IMPACTED THE RNWY NOSE LOW AND COLLAPSED THE NOSE GEAR. A POST ACCIDENT FIRE DESTROYED THE ACFT FROM THE FIREWALL AFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/26/1988
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1930
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City GREAT FALLS
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59404
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GREAT FALLS INT'L
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GTF
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 3674
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
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 Dusk
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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 13
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 328
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 26 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36119
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:40AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N79P
NTSB Number DEN88LA102
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182P
Aircraft Series Identifier 182P
Aircraft Serial Number 182062669
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 Feb 2 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 2518
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name N79P, INCORPORATED
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 580
Aircraft Owner City GREAT FALLS
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59403
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BIL
Departure City BILLINGS
Departure State MT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1800
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 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 25
Runway Length 4320
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --