Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Terreton, Idaho 83450
Monday, December 20, 2004 10:00 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The purpose of the public use flight was to hunt coyotes. The pilot reported that the airplane was at an altitude of 50 to 100 feet agl. After the gunner shot one of a group of three coyotes and wounded another, he circled the airplane left to line up for another shot at the wounded coyote. The turn was made at 60 knots with three notches of flaps. After completing the left turn, the "aircraft seemed to lose elevator control," the tail pitched up, and the nose went down. The pilot added full power and had just enough time to raise the nose before the airplane hit the ground. The forward section of the lower fuselage was crushed upward. The main landing gear separated, and the right wing separated at the wing root and rotated forward.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering which resulted in an inadvertent stall and subsequent collision with terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/20/2004
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Terreton
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83450
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 435618N
Event Location Longitude 1122919W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.02
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 17494
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date Dec 20 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 30 2005 6:20AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Salt Lake City, UT

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2898D
NTSB Number SEA05TA028
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Public Use
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 Christen Industries
Aircraft Model A-1
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1019
Certified Max Gross Weight 2100
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Dec 13 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 14
Airframe Hours 7003
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Idaho Woolgrowers Association
Aircraft Owner Street Address 802 W Bannock St., Suite 205
Aircraft Owner City Boise
Aircraft Owner State ID
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 83702
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name USDA, APHIS, Wildlife Services
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 9134 W Blackeagle Dr.
Operator City Boise
Operator State ID
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 83709
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) Public Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code REX
Departure City Rexburg
Departure State ID
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 815
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record --
User who most recently changed record --
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --