Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ft. Smith, Montana 59034
Sunday, April 24, 1983 16:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER TAKING OFF FROM FT SMITH, THE PLT LEVELED AT 500 FT AGL & FOLLOWED A RIVER TO LOOK AT SOME PROPERTY APRX 5 MI AWAY. WHILE EN ROUTE, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SPUTTER & RUN IRREGULARILY. HE PERFORMED A SUCCESSFUL PRECAUTIONARY LANDING IN A FIELD WHERE HE MADE A THOROUGH ENGINE RUN-UP & ALL SYSTEMS CHECKED NORMAL. THINKING THAT THE ENGINE MAY HAVE PASSED SOME WATER, HE ELECTED TO TAKEOFF & FLY TO HARDIN, MT. APRX 2 MIN AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE BEGAN SPUTTERING & RUNNING IRREGULAR AGAIN; HOWEVER, THE PILOT COULD GET NO IMPROVEMENT WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO RESTORE THE POWER. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A FIELD BEYOND SOME POWER LINES. WHILE APPLYING HEAVY BRAKES TO STOP BEFORE REACHING A DITCH, THE PLANE NOSED OVER. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT & ENGINE WAS MADE, BUT NO CAUSE FOR THE POWER LOSS WAS FOUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/24/1983
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City FT. SMITH
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59034
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 4
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 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) 100
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 30
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 35
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 4400
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 291
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 20639
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9171T
NTSB Number DEN83LA102
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 180
Aircraft Series Identifier 180
Aircraft Serial Number 50671
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 Dec 30 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 28
Airframe Hours 3505
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JEFFREY STUART OVERTON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7101 W. YALE AVE. #1003
Aircraft Owner City DENVER
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80227
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MT02
Destination City HARDIN
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 10:36AM
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 --