Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

St. Xavier, Montana 59075
Wednesday, May 3, 1989 13:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PRIVATE PLT WAS LOOKING FOR COWS ON HIS RANCH, AT 200 FT AGL, WITH 20 DEG FLAPS. THE PLT SAID HE FLEW THE ACFT THROUGH A LIGHT RAIN SHOWER. THE PLT SAID THE ENGINE BEGAN TO MISS, AND HE REDUCED PWOER. THE ACFT BEGAN LOSING ALTITUDE AND HE ADDED POWER. THE ENGINE QUIT AND SMOKE ENTERED THE CABIN. THE PLT SAID HE BANKED THE ACFT AND IT STALLED. THE ACFT STRUCK THE GROUND AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE WING STRUCK SAGE BRUSH AND THE ACFT NOSED DOWN. A POST ACCIDENT ENGINE TEARDOWN PROVIDED EVIDENCE THAT THE NUMBER TWO PISTON DISINTEGRATED. THE LOG BOOKS SHOWED THAT THE PISTON HAD BEEN IN SERVICE 662 HOURS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED WHILE MANEUVERING FOR A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A FAILURE OF THE NUMBER TWO PISTON. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/3/1989
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City ST. XAVIER
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59075
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
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 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 40
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 50
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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) 789
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 4 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1315
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40290
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:40PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3410S
NTSB Number DEN89LA115
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 182G
Aircraft Series Identifier 182G
Aircraft Serial Number 18255810
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 22 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3384
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BILL GLASSER
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1801
Aircraft Owner City BILLINGS
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59103
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MONTANA-WYOMING SYSTEMS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address PO BOX 1801
Operator City BILLINGS
Operator State MT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 59103
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 NONE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1220
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code NONE
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --