Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Carson Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Marion, Montana 59925
Saturday, May 12, 2007 10:15 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
After preflighting the airplane, adding fuel and checking the oil, the pilot radioed that he was taxiing to runway 32. Witnesses subsequently observed the airplane takeoff on runway 32, make a 180-degree turn toward the south, and then fly downwind and parallel to the runway at an altitude of between 300 and 500 feet above ground level. At approximately the end of the runway the airplane was observed making a left turn onto base leg for runway 32, followed by a steep turn to final before nosing into the ground and bursting into flames. The initial onsite examination of the airplane revealed that the engine's oil cap was not attached to the oil filler tube. A further examination revealed damage to the oil filler tube and no damage to the oil filler cap, which would indicate that the cap was not in place at the time of impact. A section of the right aileron and pieces of the airplane's windshield were examined for oil residue; no oil residue was detected on those parts. Weight and balance information for the flight indicated that the airplane was approximately 165 pounds over its maximum gross takeoff weight at the time of the accident. As a result of the engine's oil filler cap not being secured to the oil filler tube, it is reasonable to expect that an amount of oil would have escaped the engine and blown back over the pilot's windscreen, thereby obstructing his vision. The obstructed windscreen, coupled with the airplane's gross takeoff weight being exceeded, would most probably explain the pilot's loss of control while attempting to return to the runway. No pre-impact anomalies were noted with either the airframe or the engine.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s failure to maintain aircraft control while maneuvering to reverse direction. Factors included the airplane exceeding its maximum gross takeoff weight, the improper preflight by the pilot by not securing an oil cap, the low altitude, and an obstructed windshield.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/12/2007 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1015 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Marion |
| Event State | MONTANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 59925 |
| Event Date Year | 2007 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 480530N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1145083W |
| Event Location Airport | Carson Field |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | MT53 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.25 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 3560 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 955 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 60 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | GPI |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 2977 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 31 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| 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) | 16 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 5 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 30 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.91 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 5 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 5 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 23062 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Regional Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 12 2007 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 28 2008 3:59PM |
| 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 | N8771T |
| NTSB Number | SEA07FA119 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 182C |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 52671 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2800 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 1 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Sep 1 2006 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 98.8 |
| Airframe Hours | 7478 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Fred Sand |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Marion |
| Aircraft Owner State | MT |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 59925 |
| 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) | Skydiving |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | MT53 |
| Departure City | Marion |
| Departure State | MT |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1010 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | MT53 |
| Destination City | Marion |
| Destination State | MT |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering - turn to landing area (emergency) |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 6 2008 5:48PM |
| User who most recently changed record | STAM |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 32 |
| Runway Length | 3650 |
| Runway Width | 24 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |