# Accident 20240214001229A: Enstrom 280FX, Lewistown, MT, February 14, 2024

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 14, 2024, 17:05 local time
- Place: Lewistown, MT
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 47.0217° N, 109.4950° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.0217&lon=-109.4950&mi=10
- Aircraft: N899JS, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N899JS-2024-09-26) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Enstrom 280FX (registry code 3300506, https://openairdocs.org/model/enstrom-280fx) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ENSTROM 280FX
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 4,897 total, 59 in this make and model, 32 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR24LA090](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA090) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240214001229A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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

## 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 WPR24LA090](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA090), Feb 15, 2024: Enstrom 280FX (N899JS), Lewistown, MT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s encounter with low light conditions and snow-covered terrain.

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.

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