What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On may 1, 2004, at approximately 1100 hours (mountain), the pilot and his passenger were flying eastbound directly over the yellowstone river, south of Laurel, Montana, on a sightseeing flight. Just prior to the accident, the pilot was flying at an altitude of approximately 50 feet AGL, following some tracks along the riverbed, when he reduced engine power to slow down for a closer examination of the tracks. The next thing the pilot remembers is that he is sitting upside down in his aircraft in two feet of water. The billings logan international airport (kbil) winds at the time were reported at 200 degrees at 6 knots. The airplane flight manual supplement was not in the aircraft at the time of the accident, nor did the pilot have his medical certificate in his possession.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MAY 1, 2004, AT APPROXIMATELY 1100 HOURS (MOUNTAIN), THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE FLYING EASTBOUND DIRECTLY OVER THE YELLOWSTONE RIVER, SOUTH OF LAUREL, MONTANA, ON A SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT. JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT WAS FLYING AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET AGL, FOLLOWING SOME TRACKS ALONG THE RIVERBED, WHEN HE REDUCED ENGINE POWER TO SLOW DOWN FOR A CLOSER EXAMINATION OF THE TRACKS. THE NEXT THING THE PILOT REMEMBERS IS THAT HE IS SITTING UPSIDE DOWN IN HIS AIRCRAFT IN TWO FEET OF WATER. THE BILLINGS LOGAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KBIL) WINDS AT THE TIME WERE REPORTED AT 200 DEGREES AT 6 KNOTS. THE AIRPLANE FLIGHT MANUAL SUPPLEMENT WAS NOT IN THE AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, NOR DID THE PILOT HAVE HIS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE IN HIS POSSESSION.
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 N5483H · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.