Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Miles City, Montana 59301
Thursday, October 1, 1987 7:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A CATTLE RANCHER WAS FLYING HIS AIRCRAFT LOOKING FOR STRAY CATTLE AND CHECKING THE CONDITION OF THE RANCH. HE WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET AGL WHEN HE SPOTTED CATTLE THAT HAD STRAYED OFF THE RANCH. THE PILOT TURNED TO GET A BETTER VIEW OF THE CATTLE AND FLEW INTO A BOX CANYON. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NEAR VERTICALATTITUDE AT THE FAR END OF THE BOX CANYON. NO PREIMPACT MALFUNCTIONS/FAILURES WERE FOUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/1/1987
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 730
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City MILES CITY
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59301
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 10
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 531 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 93
Weather Observation Facility ID MLS
Elevation of weather observation facility 2628
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 39
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Dawn
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 14000
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1526
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 1 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34980
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:54PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1377A
NTSB Number DEN88FA001
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-18-125
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-18-125
Aircraft Serial Number 18-1208
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
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 Jun 2 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 32
Airframe Hours 1360
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SMITH CATTLE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 246
Aircraft Owner City MILES CITY
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59301
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SMITH CATTLE, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 246
Operator City MILES CITY
Operator State MT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 59301
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 604
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 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 --