Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Anaconda, Montana 59711
Tuesady, September 8, 1987 10:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

BOTH PLTS WERE REPORTEDLY AVID BIG HORN SHEEP HUNTERS. ON THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT, THE 2ND PLT PICKED UP TOPOGRAPHICAL CHARTS OF THE AREA WHERE THE ACFT CRASHED. IT WAS AN AREA WHERE THE MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF FISH, WILDLIFE, AND PARKS (FWP) HAD RECENTLY RELOCATED A HERD OF BIG HORN SHEEP. THE 2ND PLT WAS ALSO A RECENTLY RETIRED FWP REGIONAL SUPERVISOR WHO HAD BEEN IN CHARGE OF SHEEP HERD RELOCATIONS. ONE WITNESS SAW THE ACFT FLYING EAST ACROSS THE MTNS AT LOW ALT. IT SUDDENLY DROPPED OUT OF SIGHT AND SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM THE AREA. WINDS ALOFT WERE FORCAST TO BE OUT OF THE NNW AT 14-15 KTS. NO EVIDENCE WAS FD TO INDICATE ANY PRE-IMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE ACFT STRUCK THE EAST WALL OF 7300 FT HIGH BUND GULCH AT ABT THE 7250 FT LEVEL IN A NOSE HIGH, L WG LOW ATTITUDE. THE CARB THROTTLE VALVE WAS FULL OPEN. THE PROP BORE EVIDENCE OF ROTATION AT IMPACT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/8/1987
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City ANACONDA
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59711
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 9
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 955 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 103
Weather Observation Facility ID BTM
Elevation of weather observation facility 5553
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 28
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 5779
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1324
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 8 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1255
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34681
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:49PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7695H
NTSB Number DEN87FA234
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-12-150
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-12-150
Aircraft Serial Number 12-585
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 7 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2000
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JERRY J. HURNI
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 7042
Aircraft Owner City MISSOULA
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59807
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
Departure City LOLO
Departure State MT
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 Maneuvering
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --