Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Sidney-Richland Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Sidney, Montana 59270
Thursday, December 6, 2001 15:25 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During the takeoff roll, with the nose wheel elevated and both main wheels still on the runway surface, the aircraft experienced a complete loss of power on the right engine. As the pilot initiated the abort sequence, instead of pulling both throttles to the full idle position, he "...retarded the left power lever partially." This action did not sufficiently alleviate the asymmetrical thrust in time for the pilot to keep the aircraft aligned with the runway, and it subsequently departed the right side of the runway surface. As it left the runway at a 30 degree angle and entered terrain partially covered by snow, the pilot noticed the aircraft was heading toward a fence on the airport perimeter. Instead of executing the published abort procedure, he pushed the left power lever back up to the full power position. According to the pilot, he did this in order to store what energy he still had, so that he could raise the nose of the aircraft prior to hitting the fence, "...thereby impacting the fence with the bottom of the aircraft." Post accident measurements determined that the aircraft had traveled 425 feet from where it entered the runway to where it departed the side of the runway surface. It traveled another 670 feet prior to impacting the fence. After breaking off six of the fence support poles, and bending four others over, it traveled another 196 feet before coming to a stop. A post-accident inspection of the aircraft and its systems did not reveal any malfunctions or anomalies that would have contributed to a loss of engine power.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper abort procedure and inadequate remedial action, leading to a loss of directional control after losing power in one engine during the takeoff roll. Factors include the loss of power from one engine, and a fence around the perimeter of the airport.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/6/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1525 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Sidney |
| Event State | MONTANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 59270 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | Sidney-Richland Muni |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | SDY |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1984 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Witness |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | -- |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 8000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -9 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.82 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 11781 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 6 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1600 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 3 2002 12:16PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Helena FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5043J |
| NTSB Number | SEA02LA019 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 310 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 310R0163 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 5500 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 5 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 6 |
| Airframe Hours | 13957 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Exec Air Montana |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2560 Airport Rd |
| 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 | -- |
| 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 | Non-scheduled |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Domestic |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Cargo |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | SDY |
| Departure City | Sidney |
| Departure State | MT |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1525 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | HLN |
| Destination City | Helena |
| Destination State | MT |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - aborted |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 18 2002 5:31PM |
| User who most recently changed record | STAM |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 19 |
| Runway Length | 5705 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |