# NTSB DEN89DTI02: Musick/Terratorn Tierra II, N349SM, Lewistown, MT, July 2, 1989

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Final report
- Date: July 2, 1989, 11:02 local (17:02 UTC)
- Place: Lewistown, MT
- Coordinates: 47.010066, -109.340499 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.0101&lon=-109.3405&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed, report June 28, 1991
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 17556
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN89DTI02
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/17556/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN89DTI02

## Probable cause

THE UNQUALIFIED PILOT ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO BECOME AIRBORNE WHILE TAXIING AT HIGH SPEED, HE FAILED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, AND HE INADVERTENTLY ALLOWED IT TO ENTER A STALL/SPIN AND CRASHED. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE:  HIS FAILURE TO FOLLOW PROCEDURES/DIRECTIVES, AND HIS LACK OF QUALIFICATION AS A PILOT

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering
  - procedures/directives - not followed (contributing factor)
  - qualification, unqualified person (contributing factor)
  - lift-off - inadvertent, unqualified person (cause)
  - aircraft control - not maintained, unqualified person (cause)
  - stall/spin - inadvertent, unqualified person (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled

## Analysis

THE OWNER OF THE HOME BUILT ACFT HAD PURCHASED IT FROM THE BUILDER. HE POSSESSED NEITHER AN FAA MEDICAL, NOR A PLT CERTIFICATE, & HAD NO PREVIOUS FLT TIME IN THIS MAKE & MODEL OF ACFT. HE TOLD A WITNESS THAT HE INTENDED TO TAXI IT (PRESUMABLY FOR FAMILIARIZATION). SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE & REMAINED WITHIN ABOUT 1/2 MI OF THE DEP END OF RWY 30. WITNESSES OBSERVED IT MANEUVERING ERRATICALLY AFTER TAKEOFF. ONE WITNESS BELIEVED THE UNQUALIFIED PLT CROSS- CONTROLLED THE ACFT WITH LEFT RUDDER & RGT AILERON; THE WITNESS SAID THE ACFT NEARLY HIT A HANGAR. SUBSEQUENTLY, AFTER AN APPARENT PWR REDUCTION, THE ACFT ENTERED A STALL/SPIN & CRASHED IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. A LOCAL CFI RPRTD HE HAD GIVEN THE PLT APRX 4 HRS OF DUAL INSTRUCTION DURING A PREVIOUS 12 TO 24 MONTH PERIOD, BUT THE PLT HAD NOT SHOWN INTEREST IN FOLLOWING A REGULAR/STRUCTURED PROGRAM OF INSTRUCTION. DURING TESTS, CANNABINOIDS WERE DETECTED IN THE PLT'S URINE, BUT NONE WAS FOUND IN HIS BLOOD.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N349SM](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N349SM-1990-02-05), registration cancelled 1990-02-05, S/N 9 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MUSICK/TERRATORN TIERRA II
- Registry model: [Musick Steve H TIERRA II](https://openairdocs.org/model/musick-steve-h-tierra-ii) (registry code 05675T1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 9
- Airframe hours: 20
- Engines: BOMBARDIER ROTAX 65 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Dean R. Komarek
- Registered owner: Steve Musick
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Airport: LWT, Lewiston Muni, runway 30, 4,150 × 70 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 38; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 4 total

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: LWT

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19890702018919A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890702018919A), Jul 2, 1989: Amtrte TIERRA2, Lewistown, MT, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Lost control,stalled and spun in while circling field on first flight. Pilot had no medical or pilot ratings.

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.

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