Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bozeman, Montana 59715
Tuesady, June 26, 2001 19:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that while maneuvering for a formation flight, his aircraft encountered an updraft and ascended up to the second aircraft. The propeller of the second aircraft contacted the horizontal stabilizer of the first aircraft. Both aircraft were able to return to the departure airport and land without further incident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from another aircraft while maneuvering for a formation flight. An updraft was a factor.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/26/2001
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1900
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Bozeman
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59715
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1856 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID BZN
Elevation of weather observation facility 4474
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
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) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.01
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11163
NTSB Notification Source FAA Regional Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date Jun 26 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1835
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 4 2001 12:55PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Helena, Montana

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N9341T N80830
NTSB Number SEA01LA122A SEA01LA122B
Missing Aircraft Indicator -- --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? No No
Damage Substantial Minor
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper Cessna
Aircraft Model PA-38-112 172M
Aircraft Series Identifier -- --
Aircraft Serial Number 38-78A0048 17266764
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670 2550
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2 4
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 1 2001 12:00AM Oct 4 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 58 366
Airframe Hours 2819 6863
ELT Installed Yes Yes
ELT Activated No No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name Robert A. Marshall Manhattan Flying Tigers, Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6129Jackrabbit Lane 8110 Wooden Shoe Lane
Aircraft Owner City Belgrade Manhattan
Aircraft Owner State MT MT
Aircraft Owner Country USA USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59714 59741
Operator is an individual? No No
Operator Name -- Linda H. Marshall
Operator Same as Owner? Yes No
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes No
Operator Street Address -- 6129 Jackrabbit Lane
Operator City -- Belgrade
Operator State -- MT
Operator Country -- USA
Operator Zip code -- 59714
Operator Code -- --
Owner has at least one certificate None 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 Personal
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event No No
Departure Airport Code BZN BZN
Departure City Bozeman Bozeman
Departure State MT MT
Departure Country USA USA
Departure Time 1830 1830
Departure Time Zone MDT MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code -- --
Destination City -- --
Destination State -- --
Destination Country -- --
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? No No
Evacuation occurred No No
Date of most recent change to record Aug 14 2001 3:04PM Aug 14 2001 3:04PM
User who most recently changed record RANS RANS
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location -- --
Runway Length -- --
Runway Width -- --
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --