# Accident 19980714016649A: Wsk PZLM18B, Hingham, MT, July 14, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 14, 1998, 22:10 local time
- Place: Hingham, MT
- Airport: Hutchinson Private
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: RTSG
- Location: 48.5609° N, 110.4703° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.5609&lon=-110.4703&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4326M, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4326M) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Wsk-Pzl Meilec PZL M18B (registry code 9810125, https://openairdocs.org/model/wsk-pzl-meilec-pzl-m18b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: WSK PZLM18B
- Reported engine: WSK ASZ62IRM18
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 6,195 total, 102 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA98LA139](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA98LA139) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980714016649A

## Narrative

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

LANDING AT BASE BOUNCED. BEGAN GO AROUND. LOST CONTROL. ROLLED AND CRASHED BELL CRANKS BROKEN. AILERON JAMMED. (-23) PILOT STATES HE BOUNCED TWICE DURING A LATE EVENING LANDING AND DECIDED TO GO AROUND.  THE AIRPLANE ENTERED AN UNCOMMANDED RIGHT ROLL DRIFTING OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND INITIATING THE ACCIDENT. (.4) THE PILOT STATED THAT IN HIS LANDING ATTEMPT, THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED TWICE SO HE DECIDED TO GO AROUND.  HE STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT THEN ENTERED AN UNCOMMANDED RIGHT ROLL, DEPARTED THE AIRSTRIP TO THE RIGHT, AND THE RIGHT WING TIP STRUCK THE GROUND.  THE PILOT NOTED THAT THE LEFT-TO-RIGHT MOVEMENT OF THE CONTROL STICK WAS STUCK, AND THAT HE HAD APPLIED GREAT PRESSURE ON THE STICK TO COMMAND A ROLL TO THE LEFT. HE SAID THE CONTROL STICK CAME UNSTUCK AND DID MOVE TO THE EXTREME LEFT, BUT THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT RESPOND AND CONTINUED IN ITS TURN OR ROLL TO THE RIGHT.  HE STATED THAT HE PULLED THE THROTTLE BACK TO IDLE; THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SETTLE TO THE GROUND WHILE IN THIS TURNING MOTION, WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND WRECKED.  POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED BOTH AILERON BELLCRANKS TO BE BROKEN WHERE THEY CONTACTED THE  UPPER STOPS, WITH THE RIGHT BELLCRANK LOCKED IN AN AILERON-UP POSITION. HOWEVER, INVESTIGATORS FOUND NO EVIDENCE INDICATING FATIGUE FAILURE WHEN THEY INSPECTED THE BELLCRANKS.  THE FAA INVESTIGATOR REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD A TOTAL AIRFRAME TIME OF 103 HOURS.

## 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 SEA98LA139](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA98LA139), Jul 15, 1998: Wsk Pzl Mielec M18B (N4326M), Hingham, MT, substantial damage. Probable cause: Restricted aileron travel for undetermined reasons.

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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