# Accident 19981127040749A: Bbavia 7ECA, Jardine, MT, November 27, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 27, 1998, 12:00 local time
- Place: Jardine, MT
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Unauth Low Level Opns
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.0300° N, 110.7007° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.0300&lon=-110.7007&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8306V, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8306V) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Champion 7ECA (registry code 21101NN, https://openairdocs.org/model/champion-7eca) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BBAVIA 7ECA
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA99LA017](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA99LA017) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981127040749A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON NOVEMBER 27, 1998, APPROXIMATELY 1200 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A CHAMPION "CITABRIA" 7ECA, N8306V, REGISTERED TO AND BEING OPERATED BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT, INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING AN IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES WHILE MANEUVERING IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY TWO MILES EAST OF JARDINE, MONTANA. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE UNINJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE FLIGHT, WHICH WAS PERSONAL AND LOCAL, WAS TO HAVE BEEN OPERATED UNDER 14 CFR91, AND ORIGINATED FROM GARDINER, MONTANA, APPROXIMATELY 1100. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE AND A FRIEND WERE OUT ELK SPOTTING AND HAD JUST CLEARED A PASS WITH 500 FEET OF VERTICAL CLEARANCE WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE AND DOWNDRAFTS. HE EXECUTED A 180 DEGREE COURSE REVERSAL BUT WAS THEN UNABLE TO CLIMB BACK OVER THE PASS AND SO CONTINUED HIS TURN THROUGH 360 DEGREES. THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED THE TOPS OF TREES, WINGS LEVEL, DAMAGING THE LEFT WING LEADING EDGE AND RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. THE PILOT THEN FLEW THE AIRCRAFT BACK TO GARDINER AND LANDED. (-23)PILOT STATED THAT WHILE HE WAS FLYING THE AIRCRAFT OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN HE ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE AND DOWNDRAFTS.  THE PILOT TRIED TO MANEUVE       ER THE AIRCRAFT OUT OF THE TURBULENCE AND ENCOUNTERED DOWNDRAFTS. THE AIRCRAFT LOST ALTITUDE AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME INTO CONTACT WITH SOME TREES.  THE PILOT FLEW THE AIRCRAFT BACK TO GARDINER, MT.

## 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 SEA99LA017](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA99LA017), Nov 27, 1998: Champion 7ECA (N8306V), Jardine, MT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot-in-command's failure to maintain adequate clearance with trees and terrain. Contributing factors were unfavorable winds, mountainous terrain and trees.

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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