Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Big Sky, Montana 59716
Saturday, May 16, 1987 12:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PRIVATE PLT WAS FLYING CROSS COUNTRY IN DETERIORATING WEATHER CONDITIONS. FOG WAS FORECAST AND LIGHT RAIN WAS IN PROGRESS. THE FLT ENCOUNTERED LESS THAN VFR CONDITIONS IN A MOUNTAINOUS AREA AND REVERSED COURSE. WEATHER WAS BELOW VFR ON THE REVERSE COURSE ALSO. THE PLT ELECTED TO CIRCLE FOR AN HOUR WAITING FOR VFR CONDITIONS. A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING WAS ATTEMPTED TO A LOGGING ROAD. DURING ROLL OUT, THE ACFT DEPARTED THE ROAD TO THE LEFT AND THE LEFT MAIN GEAR STRUCK AN EMBANKMENT AND FAILED. THE ACFT PIVOTED TO THE LEFT AND CAME TO REST LEFT WING DOWN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/16/1987
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City BIG SKY
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59716
Event Date Year 1987
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
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 750
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
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) --
Density Altitude (feet) 7800
Intensity of Precipitation Moderate
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 957
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 16 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34128
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:23PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1979C
NTSB Number DEN87LA125
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 170B
Aircraft Series Identifier 170B
Aircraft Serial Number 26124
Certified Max Gross Weight 2050
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 Sep 10 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 4950
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHAPMAN, DOUG S.
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 542
Aircraft Owner City GARDINER
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59030
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DOUG S. CHAPMAN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address BOX 542
Operator City GARDINER
Operator State MT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 59030
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 29S
Departure City GARDINER
Departure State MT
Departure Country
Departure Time 945
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 6S5
Destination City HAMILTON
Destination State MT
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 --