Cabin Creek Landing Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Marion, Montana 59925
Saturday, May 8, 2004 11:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Approaching the destination airfield, the pilot reported rain showers were present and the weather was deteriorating. The pilot elected to use the slip maneuver on her landing approach, taking out 90 percent of the slip prior to the airplane touching down hard on its left main landing gear. Witnesses attending the fly-in reported that the left main landing gear was bent and the left door wouldn't operate properly. Later in the afternoon the pilot asked several other pilots their opinions on the left landing gear, and 5 or 6 pilots said it was solid. After securing the left door with rope, the pilot then flew the airplane to her home base. Substantial damage to the airplane was discovered two months after the accident as the aircraft was being repaired. The accident was reported to the FAA on November 4, 2004.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper landing flare resulting in a hard landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/8/2004
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Marion
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59925
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 480421N
Event Location Longitude 1144042W
Event Location Airport Cabin Creek Landing Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 97MT
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 4000
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1055 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 45
Weather Observation Facility ID FCA
Elevation of weather observation facility 2977
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
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) 29.99
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) 17825
NTSB Notification Source Helena Flight Standards Distri
NTSB Notification Date Jan 5 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 8 2005 12:51PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Helena, Montana

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N276MK
NTSB Number SEA04LA196
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Dornier
Aircraft Model DO27A4
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 383
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Marquross MoQuey Kseal
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Richland
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97870
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Joan M. Colby
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Big Fork
Operator State MT
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 59911
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 53U
Departure City Ferndale
Departure State MT
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1030
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 97MT
Destination City Marion
Destination State MT
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Mar 24 2005 10:13AM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 02
Runway Length 3400
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --