19980718030039A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Socata RALLYE 235E · Laurel, MT · July 18, 1998

Date
July 18, 1998 · 13:30 local
Place
Laurel, MT
Airport
Laurel Municipal Airport
Phase of flight
Low Level Operations
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N301RA
NTSB investigation
NTSBSEA98LA142
Reported as
Socata RALLYE235E
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Pilot states he believes he unported his fuel pickup by maneuvering at low altitude while participating in a flour bombing contest. Engine quit at 200 ft. and he ditched it in the flathead river. Aircraft engine ran and developed power after retrieved.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT STATES HE BELIEVES HE UNPORTED HIS FUEL PICKUP BY MANEUVERING AT LOW ALTITUDE WHILE PARTICIPATING IN A FLOUR BOMBING CONTEST. ENGINE QUIT AT 200 FT. AND HE DITCHED IT IN THE FLATHEAD RIVER. AIRCRAFT ENGINE RAN AND DEVELOPED POWER AFTER RETRIEVED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.