- Date
- December 6, 1997, 11:20 local (18:20 UTC)
- Place
- Worland, WY
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N71ATArtic S-1B2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 26, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19971206037459A
- Case key
- 20496
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
loss of engine power for undetermined reason(s). A related factor was the rough and uneven terrain on which the forced landing was made.
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 pilot landed on a dirt road, picked up his passenger, and took off again to look for stray livestock. Spotting three head of cattle, the pilot reduced power and initiated a shallow descending turn. When he attempte to reapplied power, the engine did not respond. After several attempts to restore engine power, the pilot was forced to land in a dry creek bed. The landing gear was sheared off during the forced landing. Examination of the airplane revealed no contaminants in the fuel, and no obstructions in the fuel vent. Fuel, air, and ignition system continuity were established.
Factual narrative
On December 6, 1997, approximately 1120 mountain standard time, an Arctic S-1B2, N71AT, owned and operated by Sky Aviation Corp., was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Ten Sleep, Wyoming. The pilot and a passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the aerial observation flight conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated near Ten Sleep at 0930.
According to the pilot's accident report, he had landed on a dirt road, picked up his passenger, and took off again to look for stray livestock. Spotting three head of cattle, the pilot reduced power and initiated a shallow descending turn. When the pilot reapplied power, the engine did not respond. After several attempts to restore engine power, the pilot was forced to land in a dry creek bed. The landing gear was sheared off during the forced landing.
An FAA inspector said his examination of the airplane revealed no contaminants in the fuel, and no obstructions in the fuel vent. Fuel, air, and ignition system continuity was established.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N71AT
- Reported as
- Artic S-1B2
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1022
- Airframe hours
- 3,540
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Sky Aviation Corp.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 20, 1997 · 26 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Ten Sleep, WY
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
- 48
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 13,290 total · 5,570 in this make and model · 12,940 as pilot in command · 173 in the last 90 days · 55 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 60 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 22,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 9 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- WRL, 6 nm away
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 N71AT · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.