- Date
- May 30, 2023, 07:44 local (12:44 UTC)
- Place
- St. Anthony, ND
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7343LPiper PA-18-150
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Fargo FSDO
- FAA report
- 20230530007179A
- Case key
- 192271
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from terrain while maneuvering at low attitude.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that while conducting wildlife damage management activities under contract with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, he entered a right 180-degree turn in order to reverse direction and position the airplane. The airplane heading prior to the turn was into a slight right quartering headwind and required a climb due to up-sloping terrain. About 160 degrees into the right turn, the right quartering headwind became a left quartering tailwind. The airplane descended and contacted the ground. On contact, the nose of the airplane pitched forward and struck the ground. The airplane then bounced, cartwheeled, and came to rest approximately 105 ft from the initial ground contact, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings, and the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7343L
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7509049
- Built
- 1975
- Airframe hours
- 13,075.5
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public aircraft - federal · Public use
- Operator
- Air Dakota Flite Inc
- Registered owner
- Air Dakota Flite Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 25, 2023 · 96.7 hours before
- Departed
- Y19 · Mandan, ND
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Equipment
- Satellite tracking device, ADS-B
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 30
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 21, 2023
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 3,939 total · 815 in this make and model · 3,834 as pilot in command · 300 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.80 inHg
- Observed at
- KBIS, 13 nm away
- METAR
- KBIS 301252Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 15/13 A2980 RMK AO2 SLP091 T01500133
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 17, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 7.7 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.