What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Description of the accident:
On November 25, 2024, a privately operated Cessna A185F aircraft, with one pilot and one passenger on board, landed on a private grass/gravel strip 30 miles south of klwt (Lewistown, Montana). Upon landing the pilot stated that the main gear rolled over a large rock half buried in the ground. The pilot stated that the rock was dislodged from the ground and thrown into right horizontal stabilizer. Based upon pictures provided by the pilot the rock appeared to be roughly 10-12 inches in diameter. The tip (approximately 8 inches) of the leading edge of the horizonal stabilizer was compressed vertically and inward toward the vertical stablizer. The elevator was partially detatched from the horizontal stablizer at the same outboard leading edge area.
Pilot reported no other issues upon landing. Investigation was unable to determine if there were any other reasonable causes that could have damaged the aircraft.
Causaul and/or contributing factors:
The unimproved surface had scattered medium to large rocks that were obscured by tall grass. Which impeaded the pilots ability to visually identify landing hazards.
No ATC actions contributory to the event.
No recommendations for systemic corrective action.
Action taken to correct problem and prevent reoccurance:
No action taken
Sas id: NM05202500640
As the FAA filed it
DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCIDENT:
ON NOVEMBER 25, 2024, A PRIVATELY OPERATED CESSNA A185F AIRCRAFT, WITH ONE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER ON BOARD, LANDED ON A PRIVATE GRASS/GRAVEL STRIP 30 MILES SOUTH OF KLWT (LEWISTOWN, MONTANA). UPON LANDING THE PILOT STATED THAT THE MAIN GEAR ROLLED OVER A LARGE ROCK HALF BURIED IN THE GROUND. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ROCK WAS DISLODGED FROM THE GROUND AND THROWN INTO RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. BASED UPON PICTURES PROVIDED BY THE PILOT THE ROCK APPEARED TO BE ROUGHLY 10-12 INCHES IN DIAMETER. THE TIP (APPROXIMATELY 8 INCHES) OF THE LEADING EDGE OF THE HORIZONAL STABILIZER WAS COMPRESSED VERTICALLY AND INWARD TOWARD THE VERTICAL STABLIZER. THE ELEVATOR WAS PARTIALLY DETATCHED FROM THE HORIZONTAL STABLIZER AT THE SAME OUTBOARD LEADING EDGE AREA.
PILOT REPORTED NO OTHER ISSUES UPON LANDING. INVESTIGATION WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF THERE WERE ANY OTHER REASONABLE CAUSES THAT COULD HAVE DAMAGED THE AIRCRAFT.
CAUSAUL AND/OR CONTRIBUTING FACTORS:
THE UNIMPROVED SURFACE HAD SCATTERED MEDIUM TO LARGE ROCKS THAT WERE OBSCURED BY TALL GRASS. WHICH IMPEADED THE PILOTS ABILITY TO VISUALLY IDENTIFY LANDING HAZARDS.
NO ATC ACTIONS CONTRIBUTORY TO THE EVENT.
NO RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SYSTEMIC CORRECTIVE ACTION.
ACTION TAKEN TO CORRECT PROBLEM AND PREVENT REOCCURANCE:
NO ACTION TAKEN
SAS ID: NM05202500640
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 N9533H · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.