Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Fairgrounds Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Hardin, Montana 59034
Saturday, April 10, 2004 14:05 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that he determined the wind to be approximately 30 degrees from the right at 10 to 12 knots and favoring runway 22, but on final approach he noticed the wind was stronger and nearly 90 degrees from the right. The pilot then elected to land on a grass area adjacent to runway 22, which was approximately 1,000 feet long and into the wind. On his final approach to the grass strip the pilot noticed a fence bordering the end of the runway, resulting in an approach a little higher and faster than normal. After touching down and determining he would not be able to stop before the end of the runway, the pilot aborted the landing. During the aborted landing the airplane's left wing impacted a tree, spinning it 180 degrees to the left before falling to the ground in an upright position. A weather observation taken about 10 minutes prior to the accident from an airport located 38 nautical miles west of the accident airport revealed in part that the wind was from 310 degrees at 17 knots with gusts to 24 knots. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the aircraft prior to the flight.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to perform a go-around. Contributing factors were the pilot's misjudgment of speed and distance and the tree.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/10/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1405 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Hardin |
| Event State | MONTANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 59034 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 454331N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1073605W |
| Event Location Airport | Fairgrounds Airpark |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | F02 |
| 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 | 2911 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Abbreviated |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1356 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 275 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BIL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 3649 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 40 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 4589 |
| 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) | 13 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -7 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 310 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 17 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 24 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.2 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 3061 |
| 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) | 15804 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Seattle Regional Operations Ce |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 10 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1410 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 30 2004 12:15PM |
| 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 | N5235X |
| NTSB Number | SEA04LA067 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Champion |
| Aircraft Model | 7ECA |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 698 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1650 |
| 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 | Oct 3 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 30 |
| Airframe Hours | 2909 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | George R. Munson |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Westhampton |
| Aircraft Owner State | MA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 01027 |
| 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 | 3U3 |
| Departure City | Anaconda |
| Departure State | MT |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1135 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | F02 |
| Destination City | Hardin |
| Destination State | MT |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Go-around (VFR) |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 5 2004 11:51AM |
| User who most recently changed record | STAM |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 22 |
| Runway Length | 3542 |
| Runway Width | 60 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |