Glacier Park Int'l Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kalispell, Montana 59837
Wednesday, April 19, 1989 6:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT STATED, 'DURING THE LANDING PHASE THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO ACT LIKE IT WAS IN TURBULENCE. ON CONTACT WITH THE GROUND, I COULDN'T KEEP IT GOING STRAIGHT...'. THE AIRPLANE GROUND LOOPED AND NOSED OVER. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE BRAKES AND RELATED SYSTEM REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE WIND AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS LIGHT AND VARIABLE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE LANDING FLARE AND ROLLOUT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF PROFICIENCY WITH ONLY 4 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME IN THE PRECEDING 90 DAY PERIOD.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/19/1989
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 630
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City KALISPELL
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59837
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 GLACIER PARK INT'L
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 2972
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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) 318
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 19 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1325
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38860
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 N5414C
NTSB Number DEN89LA111
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 170A
Aircraft Series Identifier 170A
Aircraft Serial Number 19448
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection 26
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WESTPHAL, T. R./LAVALLEY, W.R.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 810 4TH AVE.
Aircraft Owner City COLUMBIA FALLS
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59912
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WESTPHAL, TERRY R.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 810 4TH AVENUE
Operator City COLUMBIA FALLS
Operator State MT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 59901
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 620
Departure Time Zone MDT
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 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 19
Runway Length 8000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --