# Accident 19970718018949A: Cessna 320E, West Yellowston, MT, July 18, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 18, 1997, 16:30 local time
- Place: West Yellowston, MT
- Airport: Yellowstone
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 44.6906° N, 111.2096° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.6906&lon=-111.2096&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3425Q, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3425Q-1998-05-21) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 320E (registry code 2074514, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-320e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 320E
- Reported engine: CONT TSIO520B
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,733 total, 163 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA97LA162](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA97LA162) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970718018949A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AIRCRAFT CRASHED ON LANDING DUE TO A STRONG CROSSWIND. (.4)THE PRIVATE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO COMPENSATE FOR CROSSWIND CONDITIONS DURING FINAL APPROACH IN THE TWIN-ENGINE AIRPLANE WITH THE USE OF POWER.  HE BEGAN TO DRIFT OFF THE EAST (LEFT) SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, AND HE STATED THAT THE RIGHT ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND TO THROTTLE INPUTS DURING THE LANDING.  HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND IMPACTED ROUGH, GRASSY TERRAIN OFF THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY.  THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. EXAMINATION OF BOTH PROPELLERS REVEALED DAMAGE CONSISTENT WITH APPLIED POWER ON THE LEFT ENGINE, AND NO POWER ON THE RIGHT ENGINE.   AN EXAMINATION OF THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE HAD RECENTLY BEEN REBUILT BY THE MANUFACTURER AND INSTALLED ON THE AIRPLANE.  PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT, IT UNDERWENT AN ANNUAL INSPECTION AND WAS OPERATED FOR 6.2 HOURS DURING SIX FLIGHTS WITH NO PROBLEMS NOTED.  AN EXAMINATION OF THE RIGHT ENGINE THROTTLE CONTROLS AND A FUNCTIONAL TEST OF THE RIGHT ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL ANY EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES THAT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A POWER LOSS OR HESITATION.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB SEA97LA162](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA97LA162), Jul 18, 1997: Cessna 320E (N3425Q), W. Yellowstone, MT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing when asymmetric power was applied. A factor was the crosswind conditions.

## Other reports on N3425Q (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19970301007859I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970301007859I), Mar 1, 1997: Cessna 320E (N3425Q), Ogden, UT. Narrative: during approach, landing gear was electrically lowered green light for nose gear would not come on. Pilot could not manually lower gear. Landed…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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