Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Benchmark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Augusta, Montana 59410
Monday, May 28, 2001 12:51 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Witnesses reported that following takeoff from the paved runway, the pilot initiated a left climbing turn. Witnesses reported that during the climbing turn (at an estimated altitude of approximately 200 feet above ground level [AGL]), the airplane "…appeared slow and then stalled." The airplane impacted terrain in a nose low attitude approximately 340 feet east of the departure end of runway 30. Post crash fire and impact forces destroyed the airplane. Investigators did not find any evidence of pre-impact aircraft or engine malfunctions during postaccident examination of the wreckage. The pilot was participating in a fly-in/work session organized by the Montana Pilot's Association. Participants in the fly-in spent the weekend doing maintenance on the airport and its facilities. The pilot of the accident airplane arrived at Benchmark two days before the accident. At the conclusion of the fly-in activities, the pilot departed Benchmark with a planned destination of Helena, Montana.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed after takeoff resulting in an inadvertent stall at low a altitude.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/28/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1251 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Augusta |
| Event State | MONTANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 59410 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 472835N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1125148W |
| Event Location Airport | BENCHMARK |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 3U7 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 110 |
| Airport Elevation | 5431 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1256 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 74 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | GTF |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 3677 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 60 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 20000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 10000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 27 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 7 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 170 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 14 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.7 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 11535 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA-REGIONAL OPERATIONS |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 28 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1509 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 20 2002 1:46PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Helena, Montana |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2564M |
| NTSB Number | SEA01FA106 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | Ground |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-12 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 12937 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 1 2000 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 3574 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | James A. Steffeck |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 658 N. Warren Street |
| Aircraft Owner City | Helena |
| Aircraft Owner State | MT |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 59601 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| 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? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | 3U7 |
| Departure City | BENCHMARK |
| Departure State | MT |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1250 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | HLN |
| Destination City | HELENA |
| Destination State | MT |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - initial climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 19 2002 1:59PM |
| User who most recently changed record | STAM |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 30 |
| Runway Length | 6000 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |