What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The short brothers SD3-60 cargo flight was being vectored for the vor/cme rwy 28R appraoch to the Billings Logan International Airport during instrument meteorological conditions. Weather conditions one minute before the accident were winds 020 at 13 knots, light snow and mist, and visibility was deteriorating rapidly. The co-pilot (occupying the right seat) was flying the aircraft, and the PIC (ocupying the left seat) was handling radio communications. At 0812:25, having crossed the final approach fix, the aircraft descended through 100 feet above the mda (3,940 feet or 426 feet above the runway threshold), and immediately thereafter the crew visually acquired the runway, at 0813:01 the aircraft's GPWS alert of 'sink rate' was heard, followed 2 seconds later by the PIC calling for 'power', and a 2 second delay to ground impact. The co-pilot had logged a total of 103 hours in the SD3-60(all within the previous 90 days,) while the PIC had just begun flying the aircraft in Montana's late fall weather after a 6 year assignment flying in the hawaiian islands. The left main landing gear collapsed in overload during the ground impact.
As the FAA filed it
THE SHORT BROTHERS SD3-60 CARGO FLIGHT WAS BEING VECTORED FOR THE VOR/CME RWY 28R APPRAOCH TO THE BILLINGS LOGAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT DURING INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. WEATHER CONDITIONS ONE MINUTE BEFORE THE ACCIDENT WERE WINDS 020 AT 13 KNOTS, LIGHT SNOW AND MIST, AND VISIBILITY WAS DETERIORATING RAPIDLY. THE CO-PILOT (OCCUPYING THE RIGHT SEAT) WAS FLYING THE AIRCRAFT, AND THE PIC (OCUPYING THE LEFT SEAT) WAS HANDLING RADIO COMMUNICATIONS. AT 0812:25, HAVING CROSSED THE FINAL APPROACH FIX, THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED THROUGH 100 FEET ABOVE THE MDA (3,940 FEET OR 426 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD), AND IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER THE CREW VISUALLY ACQUIRED THE RUNWAY, AT 0813:01 THE AIRCRAFT'S GPWS ALERT OF 'SINK RATE' WAS HEARD, FOLLOWED 2 SECONDS LATER BY THE PIC CALLING FOR 'POWER', AND A 2 SECOND DELAY TO GROUND IMPACT. THE CO-PILOT HAD LOGGED A TOTAL OF 103 HOURS IN THE SD3-60(ALL WITHIN THE PREVIOUS 90 DAYS,) WHILE THE PIC HAD JUST BEGUN FLYING THE AIRCRAFT IN MONTANA'S LATE FALL WEATHER AFTER A 6 YEAR ASSIGNMENT FLYING IN THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED IN OVERLOAD DURING THE GROUND IMPACT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N691A · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.