- Date
- July 12, 1985, 13:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Columbus, MT
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6817HPiper J3C-65
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850712030859A
- Case key
- 16543
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Abrupt maneuver
In-flight planning/decision - improperCause
Judgment - poorCause
Low pass - performedCause
Loss of control - in flight
Aircraft handling - not maintainedCause
Altitude - improperCause
In flight collision with terrain/water
Terrain condition - high obstruction(s)
Analysis
After making a low pass over his pax home, the plt pulled the acft up abruptly and stalled at a very low altitude. The alt was too low for the plt to effect a successful recovery before ground impact.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6817H
- Reported as
- Piper J3C-65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20033
- Airframe hours
- 1,730
- Engine
- Continental A65-8, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Gary George Woltermann
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 5, 1984 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- Columbus, MT
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
- 23
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Invalid Medical for flight
- Seat
- Front
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 450 total · 100 in this make and model · 400 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 26.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.