Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Kalispell, Montana 59901
Wednesday, June 20, 2007 9:30 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot was practicing a simulated engine-out approach to an 1,800-foot-private grass airstrip, with the intention of executing a go-around once he reached 100 feet above ground level (agl). During the approach, the pilot maintained a manifold pressure of about 12 inches, so that the engine would still be producing a small amount of power, and the throttle would not be completely closed. When the airplane reached a height of about 100 feet above the ground, the pilot moved the throttle partially forward in order to execute a go-around, but the engine rpm did not increase. The pilot then pushed the throttle full forward, but the propeller continued to only windmill. By the time the pilot determined that the engine had lost all power, it was too late to put the airplane down on the grass strip. The pilot therefore elected to make an emergency landing in a field past the departure end of the grass strip. The field where the airplane touched down was rough and uneven, and covered with high vegetation. About 15 feet beyond where the main landing gear came in contact with the terrain, the structure inside the right main landing gear attachment box failed, and the right main landing gear leg collapsed. When the right main gear leg collapsed, the right wing came in contact with the terrain. During a post-accident inspection of the airplane and engine, no anomalies could be found that would have lead to a loss of power. After the inspection, the Continental Motors IO-0470-F engine was started and run without any malfunction detected.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The complete loss of engine power during an attempted go-around from a simulated engine-out landing. Factors include rough/uneven terrain and high vegetation where the pilot made an emergency forced landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/20/2007 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 930 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Kalispell |
| Event State | MONTANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 59901 |
| Event Date Year | 2007 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 481043N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1141813W |
| 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 | 0.5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 2905 |
| 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 | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 18 |
| 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) | 30.07 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 22996 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jun 20 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 FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N391M |
| NTSB Number | SEA07TA174 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Public Use |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 185C |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1850684 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3200 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Continuous Airworthiness |
| Date of Last Inspection | Sep 1 2006 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 40 |
| Airframe Hours | 7943 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | USDA Forest Service |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1625 11th Ave |
| Aircraft Owner City | Helena |
| Aircraft Owner State | MT |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 59620 |
| 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) | Public Use |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | KS27 |
| Departure City | Kalispell |
| Departure State | MT |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 905 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | KS27 |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | -- |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Emergency landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 22 2008 12:47PM |
| User who most recently changed record | STAM |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |