- Date
- May 6, 1989, 19:40 local (May 7, 1989, 01:40 UTC)
- Place
- Livingston, MT
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7296JPiper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 22, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890506011029A
- Case key
- 17587
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 poor judgement displayed by the pilot when he maneuvered the airplane at extremely low altitude over mountainous terrain. During the flight the pilot misjudged the pull-up required and struck trees.
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.
Analysis
The acft was observed flying at tree top level over a tree covered mountainous area south of Livingston, Montana. The private plt was making several passes over military units conducting summer camp training exercises, when the the acft struck trees and crashed. Witnesses reported that the airplane 'buzzed' tree tops several times. The investigation revealed no mechanical malfunctions which would have affected the operation of the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7296J
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- PA-28-24651
- Airframe hours
- 4,431
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Profenzano, Salvatore T.
- Registered owner
- Provenzano, Salvatore T
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 1, 1988 · 9 hours before
- Departed
- BZN · Bozeman, MT
- Destination
- LVM · Livingston, 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
- 24
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 215 total · 10 in this make and model · 110 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N7296J · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.