20170103000149A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Softex Invest V-24L · Paradise, MT · January 3, 2017

Date: January 3, 2017 · 08:15 local
Place: Paradise, MT
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N710XP
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR17LA046
Reported as: Softex Invest V-24L
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 2
Pilot’s certificate: Airline transport
Pilot’s flight hours: 18 in this make and model122 in the last 90 days

N710XPRegistration cancelled Sep 6, 2019 · Softex Invest V-24LS/N 14-03-05 · Built 2014 Airframe modelSoftex Invest V-24L Engine modelLycoming YIO-320 SERIEReciprocating

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.

Pilot and passenger stated a significant vibration developed in flight. At full power the aircraft could not maintain altitude even at approach speed. Pilot selected an emergency landing site. Selected sight was between a river, railway station and the towns main street.

A drainage ditch wasn't visible to the pilot. Snow approximately 10 inches deep covered the ground. The aircraft struck the ditch, jumped through a row of bushes, struck and broke a small pine tree with the left wing, continued to final resting place.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT AND PASSENGER STATED A SIGNIFICANT VIBRATION DEVELOPED IN FLIGHT. AT FULL POWER THE AIRCRAFT COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE EVEN AT APPROACH SPEED. PILOT SELECTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING SITE. SELECTED SIGHT WAS BETWEEN A RIVER, RAILWAY STATION AND THE TOWNS MAIN STREET.

A DRAINAGE DITCH WASN'T VISIBLE TO THE PILOT. SNOW APPROXIMATELY 10 INCHES DEEP COVERED THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE DITCH, JUMPED THROUGH A ROW OF BUSHES, STRUCK AND BROKE A SMALL PINE TREE WITH THE LEFT WING, CONTINUED TO FINAL RESTING PLACE.

NTSB investigation

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

NTSB WPR17LA046Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportParadise, MTA partial loss of power during cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the engines did not reveal evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.Jan 3, 2017 · Substantial damage