# Accident 20130702011189A: Aviat Aircraft Inc A-1B, Fort Smith, MT, July 2, 2013 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: July 2, 2013, 10:10 local time - Place: Fort Smith, MT - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 45.3025° N, 108.1369° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.3025&lon=-108.1369&mi=10 - Aircraft: N302MX, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N302MX) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Aviat A-1B (registry code 2210406, https://openairdocs.org/model/aviat-a-1b) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming O-360-A1P (registry code 42259, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-a1p) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AVIAT AIRCRAFT INC A-1B - Reported engine: LYCOMING O-360-A1P - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 2 - Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor - Pilot flight hours: 2,379 total, 160 in this make and model, 225 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR13CA213](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13CA213) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130702011189A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. NOTE: TIMES, HEADINGS, MEASUREMENTS & ALTITUDES ARE APPROXIMATE. THE AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF FROM LAUREL, MT FOR A LOW LEVEL GAME SURVEY FLIGHT AS IN THE PRYOR MOUNTAINS AREA. VFR FLIGHT DEPARTED 0745 MDT, WEATHER CONDITIONS FROM THE PILOT?S OBSERVATION WERE CLEAR SKIES, CALM WINDS & WARM. BOTH PILOT & OBSERVER WERE WEARING SEAT BELTS & SHOULDER HARNESSES, BUT NOT HELMETS. AFTER 2.5 HOURS OF FLIGHT, THE OBSERVER REQUESTED A BREAK. THE PILOT REMEMBERED LOOKING AT THE OAT EARLIER & SAW 79 DEGREES F, BUT DID NOT CHECK PRIOR TO LANDING. REPORTS IN THE AREA GAVE TEMPERATURES UP TO 88 DEGREES AT THAT TIME OF DAY. THE PILOT FLEW OVER THE TOP OF A BLUFF, DETERMINED IT WAS SUITABLE TO LAND ON, THEN SET UP FOR SHORT FIELD 3 POINT LANDING GOING UPHILL. THE TOUCHDOWN WAS SMOOTH, BUT THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED UNDULATING TERRAIN, & BOUNCED THREE TIMES, WITH INCREASING AMPLITUDE. AT THIS POINT HE ELECTED TO ADD POWER & ABORT THE LANDING. THE ENGINE HESITATED BRIEFLY WHEN POWER WAS ADDED, THEN WENT TO FULL POWER. THE AIRCRAFT ACCELERATED SLOWLY, BUT DID NOT TAKE OFF, & AFTER CRESTING THE TOP OF THE BUTTE, CONTINUED DOWN THE OTHER SIDE. THE AIRCRAFT STARTED BOUNCING AGAIN, BUT DID NOT GAIN SUFFICIENT SPEED TO CLIMB & CONTINUED DOWNHILL UNTIL CONTACTING TALL BRUSH ABOUT FOUR FEET IN THE AIR, WHICH SLOWED IT DOWN & IT DESCENDED INTO A DRAW. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO STOP IN THE TALL BRUSH IN THE BOTTOM OF THE DRAW. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACT WAS LOW ANGLE & MEDIUM ENERGY. BOTH PILOT & OBSERVER RECEIVED CUTS TO THE HEAD IN SPITE OF USING THE RETRACTABLE REEL STYLE SHOULDER HARNESSES. THE OBSERVER HAD CUTS FROM THE SHOULDER HARNESS & TWO FRACTURED VERTEBRAE. THE LOWER DOOR WAS PINNED OPEN, & THE UPPER DOOR WAS STILL ABLE TO BE OPENED. THE PILOT GOT OUT, ASSISTED THE OBSERVER TO A SAFE DISTANCE FROM THE AIRCRAFT, ACTIVATED HIS PERSONAL ELT, IT WAS RECEIVED AT 1012 MDT, WITHIN 2 MINUTES OF THE ACCIDENT. HE THEN WENT BACK TO THE AIRCRAFT, TURNED OFF THE FUEL VALVE, MASTER, MAGNETO SWITCH, PULLED THE THROTTLE BACK & MIXTURE TO CUTOFF. THE PILOT RETRIEVED THE FIRST AID KIT & SURVIVAL KIT THEN USED IT TO HELP THE OBSERVER. THE AIRCRAFT STOPPED WITH THE NOSE DOWN, TAIL IN THE AIR, LEFT WING TIP ON THE GROUND, WITH THE RIGHT WING PIVOTED DOWN DUE TO BROKEN LIFT STRUTS, & THE GEAR LEGS WERE BROKEN & FOLDED UP. THE RIGHT WING LIFT STRUTS WERE BROKEN (ONE PIECE OF LIFT STRUT WAS 50 FEET BEHIND THE AIRCRAFT) & FOLDED UP FROM THE IMPACT. THE RIGHT WING PIVOTED DOWN 30 DEGREES. BOTH WINGS HAD LEADING EDGE DAMAGE FROM THE BRUSH. BOTH FUEL TANKS STILL HAD FUEL IN THEM & FUEL WAS COMING OUT OF THE FUEL TANKS. THE COCKPIT OVERHEAD CROSS TUBES WERE BENT & ONE WAS BROKEN. THE COCKPIT OVERHEAD WINDOW WAS BROKEN FROM THE IMPACT & THE EDGE ATTACHMENTS SHIFTING WHEN THE WING FOLDED DOWN. THE SEAT BELTS & SHOULDER HARNESSES WERE ALL INTACT. ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE PRESENT WITH AIRCRAFT. THE AILERON, ELEVATOR & RUDDER HAD CONTROL CONTINUITY & MOVED CORRECTLY; THE FLAPS WERE ARE 30 DEGREES & CONNECTED, BUT COULD NOT BE MOVED DUE TO DAMAGE; ENGINE THROTTLE, MIXTURE, PROP WERE ALL CONNECTED & MOVED CORRECTLY; ALTERNATE AIR WAS IN THE OFF POSITION, BUT COULD NOT BE MOVED DUE TO DAMAGE TO THE AIR BOX. THE PROP FLANGE WAS BROKEN, WITH THE PROP & PROP FLANGE 30 FEET FROM THE AIRCRAFT WITH THE OUTER HALF OF BENT END OF ONE BLADE BURIED IN THE GROUND. THE OTHER BLADE WAS ALSO BENT. THE INDICATIONS OF THE BREAK IN THE PROP FLANGE WAS A SHEARING BREAK GENERALLY DUE TO SUDDEN STOPPAGE OF THE PROP WITH THE ENGINE MAKING POWER. THE ENGINE MOUNT WAS BENT WITH THE ENGINE PUSHED DOWN & BACK. THE ENGINE STILL HAD OIL IN IT, BUT COULD NOT BE TURNED OVER DUE TO DAMAGE & AIRCRAFT POSITION. THE FUEL STRAINER COULD NOT BE CHECKED DUE TO THE POSITION OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE ALTERNATOR BELT WAS FOUND BROKEN, STILL AT THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE. THE ELT HAD STAYED IN ITS MOUNT, WAS ACTIVATED & STILL TRANSMITTING 7-3 WHEN IT WAS TURNED OFF & DISABLED. ## 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 WPR13CA213](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13CA213), Jul 2, 2013: Aviat A-1B (N302MX), Fort Smith, MT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper decision to land on rough terrain at a high density altitude. ## Other reports on N302MX (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20010609011529I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010609011529I), Jun 9, 2001: Aviat A1B (N302MX), Yellow Pine, ID, Minor damage. (-23)Pilot came in too high for the short Airstrip, landed long and then flipped the aircraft over trying to stop in the remaining runway. There was only minor… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.