What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Description of the deviation:
On February 14, 2024, an Enstrom 280FX departed the Lewistown, MT airport (klwt) at 17:05. The pilot took off to the west and encountered flat-light conditions. Approximately 3 sw of lwt, during the enroute phase to the local practice area, the aircraft impacted rising terrain in a snow-covered field due to “controlled flight into terrain” (cfit) causing substantial damage to the aircraft.
Causual and/or contributing factors:
The weather at the time were calm winds, a high overcast, and visibility greater than 10 miles. Having departed the Lewistown airport from the west end of the airport to the west, and after a climb to 4500FT a turn out to the southwest had commenced. With no notable horizon, and entering a “flat light” condition, the pilot flew past a farm site off right hand side which gave a visual reference for aircraft altitude, which was approximately 200 ft AGL. Drawing attention away from basic attitude flying, the pilot then proceeded with the checklist and adjusted the engine power setting. While doing so, and unaware, the aircraft began a controlled descent. Then less than a mile past the visual altitude reference point, the aircraft impacted the ground straight and level with no warning. The aircraft impacted rising terrain, completely open and snow covered without any visual contrast.
No ATC actions contributory to the event.
N/a
No rcommendations for systemic corrective action.
N/a
Action take to correct problem and prvent reoccurance:
Compliance action- couseling
In accordance with the federal aviation administration’s compliance philosophy, the pilot has been counseled on aeronautical decision making, situational awareness, information processing, and the importance basic attitude flying when such optical illusions are encountered. Ref: FAA-H-8083-15B
As the FAA filed it
DESCRIPTION OF THE DEVIATION:
ON FEBRUARY 14, 2024, AN ENSTROM 280FX DEPARTED THE LEWISTOWN, MT AIRPORT (KLWT) AT 17:05. THE PILOT TOOK OFF TO THE WEST AND ENCOUNTERED FLAT-LIGHT CONDITIONS. APPROXIMATELY 3 SW OF LWT, DURING THE ENROUTE PHASE TO THE LOCAL PRACTICE AREA, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED RISING TERRAIN IN A SNOW-COVERED FIELD DUE TO “CONTROLLED FLIGHT INTO TERRAIN” (CFIT) CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.
CAUSUAL AND/OR CONTRIBUTING FACTORS:
THE WEATHER AT THE TIME WERE CALM WINDS, A HIGH OVERCAST, AND VISIBILITY GREATER THAN 10 MILES. HAVING DEPARTED THE LEWISTOWN AIRPORT FROM THE WEST END OF THE AIRPORT TO THE WEST, AND AFTER A CLIMB TO 4500FT A TURN OUT TO THE SOUTHWEST HAD COMMENCED. WITH NO NOTABLE HORIZON, AND ENTERING A “FLAT LIGHT” CONDITION, THE PILOT FLEW PAST A FARM SITE OFF RIGHT HAND SIDE WHICH GAVE A VISUAL REFERENCE FOR AIRCRAFT ALTITUDE, WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY 200 FT AGL. DRAWING ATTENTION AWAY FROM BASIC ATTITUDE FLYING, THE PILOT THEN PROCEEDED WITH THE CHECKLIST AND ADJUSTED THE ENGINE POWER SETTING. WHILE DOING SO, AND UNAWARE, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN A CONTROLLED DESCENT. THEN LESS THAN A MILE PAST THE VISUAL ALTITUDE REFERENCE POINT, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND STRAIGHT AND LEVEL WITH NO WARNING. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED RISING TERRAIN, COMPLETELY OPEN AND SNOW COVERED WITHOUT ANY VISUAL CONTRAST.
NO ATC ACTIONS CONTRIBUTORY TO THE EVENT.
N/A
NO RCOMMENDATIONS FOR SYSTEMIC CORRECTIVE ACTION.
N/A
ACTION TAKE TO CORRECT PROBLEM AND PRVENT REOCCURANCE:
COMPLIANCE ACTION- COUSELING
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION’S COMPLIANCE PHILOSOPHY, THE PILOT HAS BEEN COUNSELED ON AERONAUTICAL DECISION MAKING, SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, INFORMATION PROCESSING, AND THE IMPORTANCE BASIC ATTITUDE FLYING WHEN SUCH OPTICAL ILLUSIONS ARE ENCOUNTERED. REF: FAA-H-8083-15B
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.