What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot states the weather was changing rapidly, attempted to divert to kbzn but unable, turned to divert to 6S5 (hamilton, MT) but valley was blocked by a thunderstorm. Stated fuel consumption, according to gages, was considerably higher than performance planning. Made precautionary landing on mt. 473, aka west fork road south of Darby,MT when fuel gages indicated zero. Pilot stated he stayed to the right as trees lined the other side of the highway and an apparent gust pushed the aircraft to the right. Right main went off the side of pavement into dirt which dragged the aircraft into the drainage ditch. Aircraft right wing contacted fencing, propeller spinner and front cowling struck a tree adjacent to the fence, spun the aircraft clockwise, struck a concrete water drain, stopped just past the concrete drain turned approximately 160 degrees from landing direction. Substantial damage to both wings, undercarriage, prop.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT STATES THE WEATHER WAS CHANGING RAPIDLY, ATTEMPTED TO DIVERT TO KBZN BUT UNABLE, TURNED TO DIVERT TO 6S5 (HAMILTON, MT) BUT VALLEY WAS BLOCKED BY A THUNDERSTORM. STATED FUEL CONSUMPTION, ACCORDING TO GAGES, WAS CONSIDERABLY HIGHER THAN PERFORMANCE PLANNING. MADE PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON MT. 473, AKA WEST FORK ROAD SOUTH OF DARBY,MT WHEN FUEL GAGES INDICATED ZERO. PILOT STATED HE STAYED TO THE RIGHT AS TREES LINED THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND AN APPARENT GUST PUSHED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE RIGHT. RIGHT MAIN WENT OFF THE SIDE OF PAVEMENT INTO DIRT WHICH DRAGGED THE AIRCRAFT INTO THE DRAINAGE DITCH. AIRCRAFT RIGHT WING CONTACTED FENCING, PROPELLER SPINNER AND FRONT COWLING STRUCK A TREE ADJACENT TO THE FENCE, SPUN THE AIRCRAFT CLOCKWISE, STRUCK A CONCRETE WATER DRAIN, STOPPED JUST PAST THE CONCRETE DRAIN TURNED APPROXIMATELY 160 DEGREES FROM LANDING DIRECTION. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO BOTH WINGS, UNDERCARRIAGE, PROP.
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 N471B · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.