# Accident 19971017031499A: Bbavia 7EC, Galata, MT, October 17, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 17, 1997, 15:00 local time
- Place: Galata, MT
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 48.4755° N, 111.3522° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Galata, MT, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.4755&lon=-111.3522&mi=10
- Aircraft: CFOJT (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BBAVIA 7EC
- Fatal injuries: 0
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971017031499A

## Narrative

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

NEW PURCHASE. STRUCK A FENCE POLE ON TAKEOFF. POSSIBLE DOWNDRAFT A PROBLEM AND SHORT RWY. (.4) THE PILOT HAD JUST PURCHASED THE AIRPLANE IN CANADA AND WAS FERRYING IT BACK TO HIS HOME. AFTER DEPARTING FROM AN AIRPORT, HE REALIZED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS RUNNING LOW ON FUEL, SO HE PERFORMED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING IN A FIELD. AFTER FUELING THE AIRPLANE WITH 9 GALLONS OF AUTOMOTIVE GASOLINE FROM A NEARBY GAS STATION, HE DECIDED TO TAKE OFF FROM THE STUBBLE FIELD.   HE INITIATED THE TAKEOFF IN A SOUTHBOUND DIRECTION APPROXIMATELY 790 FEET FROM A BARBED WIRE FENCE.  AFTER ROLLING 525 FEET, HE ALTERED HIS TAKEOFF DIRECTION TO THE SOUTHEAST.  THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE ABOUT 130 FEET FROM THE FENCE.  IT THEN STRUCK A POST ON THE FENCE AND PROCEEDED TO PULL A BARBED WIRE STRAND WITH IT FOR APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET.  THE STRAND HELD FAST AND YAWED THE AIRCRAFT LEFT.  THE PROPELLER IMPACTED THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 70 FEET SOUTHEAST OF THE FENCE, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.  THE PILOT ALSO REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE WAS 'FULLY FIRING' AND THAT THERE WERE NO PERCEIVED MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRPLANE DURING TAKEOFF. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE SHOULD HAVE TAXIED '...FURTHER BACK   TO INCREASE MARGIN OF TAKEOFF RUN.'

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

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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