- Date
- April 24, 2018, 16:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Kalispell, MT
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N454HPBrown Joseph Sportsman GS-2
- Defining event
- Landing: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 27, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180424004079A
- Case key
- 97134
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 selection of an unsuitable snow-covered airstrip for landing, which resulted in a nose-over.
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
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, while en route, he decided to land to inspect the elevator trim. He added that he made multiple passes over a snow covered airstrip and believed the snow to be about 2-3" deep. During the landing roll, the airplane slowed and began to sink into the snow. The pilot attempted to go around, but the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, while en route, he decided to land to inspect the elevator trim. He added that he made multiple passes over a snow covered airstrip and believed the snow to be about 2-3" deep. During the landing roll, the airplane slowed and began to sink into the snow. The pilot attempted to go around, but the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N454HP
- Reported as
- Brown Joseph Sportsman GS-2 (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 7336
- Built
- 2011
- Airframe hours
- 480
- Engine
- Lycoming YIO-390-EXP, 210 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · April 14, 2018
- Departed
- SZT · Sandpoint, ID
- Destination
- BTM · Butte, MT
- Airport
- 0S1 · Meadow Creek Usfs, runway 17, 2,830 × 100 ft, snow
- Equipment
- Electronic primary flight display, Handheld GPS, Onboard weather, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 17, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 4,438 total · 13 in this make and model · 3,045 as pilot in command · 104 in the last 90 days · 34 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.29 inHg
- Observed at
- KGPI, 44 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 25, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.1 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.