Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Gallitin Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Belgrade, Montana 59714
Friday, April 14, 2006 20:40 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
While on final for a night visual approach, the quill shaft between the reduction gear box and the power section of the engine decoupled. This resulted in a loss of drive input to the propeller, and ultimately to an off-field forced landing on rough/uneven terrain. Although the initial touchdown was successful, during the rollout the aircraft impacted the terrain, and after it came to a stop a small fire developed near the engine exhaust. Although the occupants tried to put out the fire, they were unable to do so, and the aircraft was eventually consumed by the fire.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The total loss of drive power to the aircraft's propeller while on a visual final approach, due to the decoupling of the quill shaft between the reduction gearbox and the engine power section. Factors include a dark night, no suitable terrain on which to land, and the rough/uneven nature of the terrain upon which the pilot had to execute his forced landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/14/2006 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 2040 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Belgrade |
| Event State | MONTANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 59714 |
| Event Date Year | 2006 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 454802N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1111122W |
| Event Location Airport | Gallitin Field |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KBZN |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1.5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 4471 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1953 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 120 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KBZN |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 4470 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 2 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| 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) | 11 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 180 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.51 |
| 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) | 21128 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 14 2006 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 26 2007 9:33AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Helena FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N671 |
| NTSB Number | SEA06LA074 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Central Copters |
| Aircraft Model | Lancair IV-P |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 423 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 1 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 85 |
| Airframe Hours | 85 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Central Copters |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Bozeman |
| Aircraft Owner State | MT |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 59771 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Mark W. Duffy |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Bozeman |
| Operator State | MT |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 59771 |
| 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 | KGEG |
| Departure City | Spokane |
| Departure State | WA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1910 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | KBZN |
| Destination City | Belgrade |
| Destination State | MT |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 21 2007 3:26PM |
| User who most recently changed record | STAM |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 12 |
| Runway Length | 9000 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |