Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Kalispell City Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Dixon, Montana 59831
Sunday, June 27, 2010 16:00 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane departed with the pilot and three passengers for a sightseeing flight. Recorded radar data showed that the airplane departed the airport, proceeded north over a national forest, and then traveled south. The last radar return indicated that the airplane was at an altitude about 300 feet above ground level and 2,800 feet mean sea level (msl), following a river. Witnesses reported seeing a blue and white single-engine airplane matching the paint scheme of the accident airplane flying low over the river about the same time as the last radar return. The wreckage was located 4.5 miles south of the river at an elevation of 4,600 feet msl in mountainous terrain. The accident scene was confined to the immediate vicinity of the wreckage, and had been subjected to a localized ground fire. The confined configuration of the wreckage was consistent with a vertical descent and ground impact. Examination of the airframe and engine found no preimpact malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Toxicology revealed that an inactive metabolite of marijuana was detected in specimens from the pilot. No blood was available for testing and the findings indicate only that the pilot likely used marijuana in the days or weeks preceding the accident.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed and aircraft control while maneuvering, resulting in an aerodynamic stall and collision with mountainous terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/27/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1600 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Dixon |
| Event State | MONTANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 59831 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 471519N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1143029W |
| Event Location Airport | Kalispell City Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KS27 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 64 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 2932 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1553 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 120 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KMSO |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 3206 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 18 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 10000 |
| 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) | 27 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 140 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.95 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 4 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 28257 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 8 2011 11:09AM |
| User who most recently changed record | mcqb-i |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N7581J |
| NTSB Number | WPR10FA330 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Unknown |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | PA-28R-180 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28R-30971 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2500 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 1 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 3 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 9 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 6234 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C91 |
| Aircraft Owner Name | WOODRUFF JOEL T |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | STEVENSVILLE |
| Aircraft Owner State | MT |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 59870-6312 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Sonny J Kless |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Missoula |
| Operator State | MT |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 59802 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | KS27 |
| Departure City | Kalispell |
| Departure State | MT |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1409 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | KS27 |
| Destination City | Perma |
| Destination State | MT |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 13 2011 4:26PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |