Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rapelje, Montana 59067
Monday, April 10, 1989 8:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE COMMERCIAL AG PLT WAS OPERATING A SINGLE PLACE CESSNA 188 FROM A ROAD NEAR RAPELJE, MT. THE PLT ESTIMATED THE WINDS FROM THE WEST AT 5 KTS, GUSTING TO 12 KTS. DURING A LANDING TO THE NORTH TO RELOAD WITH FERTILIZER, A GUST OF WIND STRUCK THE ACFT AND THE PLT SAID HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE ACFT DEPARTED THE ROAD TO THE LEFT AND STRUCK A DITCH, DAMAGING THE LEFT MAIN GEAR AND LEFT WING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR THE WIND CONDITIONS BY THE PILOT WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ON LANDING AND SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH A DITCH.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/10/1989
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 800
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City RAPELJE
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59067
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 4
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 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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 12
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) 646
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 10 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1306
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40156
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N731XG
NTSB Number DEN89LA106
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model A188B
Aircraft Series Identifier A188B
Aircraft Serial Number 18803233T
Certified Max Gross Weight 4000
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 19 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 135
Airframe Hours 2469
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name YELLOWSTONE AIR SERVICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 666
Aircraft Owner City BIG TIMBER
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59011
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 CEI-
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 650
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 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 --