- Date
- December 13, 2015, 08:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Broadus, MT
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N29712Aviat A1
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 5, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20151213019779A
- Case key
- 92451
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 the wires while flying at a low altitude resulting in a wire strike, a loss of airplane control, and the consequent impact with terrain.
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
According to the pilot, while flying at low altitude and following the course of a river, he did not see the telephone wires that spanned the width of the river. He recalled that while following the river's path, the airplane struck the wires, the airspeed decreased, and the wires "broke". He reported that during the moments while the airplane was in contact with the wires, the airspeed bled off to below stall airspeed, descended, and impacted the ground east of the river bank. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, fuselage, horizontal stabilizer and elevator. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies prior to or during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operation.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, while flying at low altitude and following the course of a river, he did not see the telephone wires that spanned the width of the river. He recalled that while following the river's path, the airplane struck the wires, the airspeed decreased, and the wires "broke". He reported that during the moments while the airplane was in contact with the wires, the airspeed bled off to below stall airspeed, descended, and impacted the ground east of the river bank. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, fuselage, horizontal stabilizer and elevator. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies prior to or during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N29712
- Reported as
- Aviat A1 (Husky)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1073
- Built
- 1989
- Airframe hours
- 9,226.5
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-C1G, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Curt Shatzer
- Registered owner
- Curt Shatzer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 15, 2015 · 25 hours before
- Departed
- Weston, WY
- Destination
- 00F · Broadus, MT
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
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
- 43
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 6, 2014
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 834 total · 543 in this make and model · 818 as pilot in command · 48 in the last 90 days · 21 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 15 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 32 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.71 inHg
- Observed at
- W43, 91 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 10, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.4 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.