Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Ekalaka, Montana 59324
Sunday, October 7, 2007 11:48 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The instrument-rated private pilot was on a cross-country flight in instrument meteorological conditions. About 40 minutes after departure the pilot reported to air traffic control (ATC) that he was encountering icing conditions at his cruise altitude of 13,000 feet and requested a lower altitude. The pilot was cleared to descend to 11,000 feet. The pilot continued to encounter icing conditions and was cleared to descend to lower altitudes. About 15 minutes after the pilot's initial report of icing conditions, he transmitted "headed towards the runway" followed by "...going down...troubles with engine." No additional communication from the accident pilot was received. The wreckage was located later that day in an open field about 2 miles west of a private airstrip. Post accident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunction or anomaly. Ground scars and wreckage signatures were consistent with a stall/mush into the terrain. Weather forecasts and pilot reports for the pilot's intended route of flight indicated icing and widespread instrument meteorological conditions. The pilot received a weather briefing prior to the flight; however, it was limited by his request to wind, temperature aloft forecasts and METAR observations for his route of flight. FAA Advisory Circular 91-51A states, in part, "The most hazardous aspect of structural icing is its aerodynamic effects. Ice can alter the shape of an airfoil. This can cause control problems, change the angle of attack at which the aircraft stalls, and cause the aircraft to stall at a significantly higher airspeed..." The AC additionally states "Flight into known or potential icing situations without thorough knowledge of icing and its effects and appropriate training and experience in use of deice and anti-ice systems should be avoided." According to the manufacturer, the airplane was not certified or equipped for flight into known icing conditions. It is probable that the airplane was unable to maintain an adequate airspeed during the descent for landing and stalled short of the runway.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper in-flight planning/decision, his continued flight into adverse weather (icing conditions), and failure to maintain an adequate airspeed during the emergency descent for landing. Contributing to the accident were the forecast icing conditions.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/7/2007 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1148 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Ekalaka |
| Event State | MONTANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 59324 |
| Event Date Year | 2007 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 454109N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1044501W |
| 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 | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1153 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 35 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KBHK |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 2975 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 43 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 9500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 7 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 2 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 240 |
| 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) | 30.07 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 24370 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA-ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Oct 7 2007 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 26 2008 6:40PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Helena, Montana |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N85WT |
| NTSB Number | SEA08FA006 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | Ground |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 310N |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 310N-0106 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 5200 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 1 2007 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 4472 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | John R. Doshier |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Baltimore |
| Aircraft Owner State | MT |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 21202 |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | BZN |
| Departure City | BOZEMAN |
| Departure State | MT |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1002 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | C85 |
| Destination City | BARABOO |
| Destination State | WI |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 19 2008 8:09PM |
| User who most recently changed record | STAM |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |