- Date
- May 13, 2019, 12:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Belgrade, MT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N772DWSiai-Marchetti SM
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 3, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190513004579A
- Case key
- 99421
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 receiving instruction's overapplication of rudder during the landing roll and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control, which resulted in a ground loop.
Findings · 4
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 flight instructor in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, while the pilot receiving instruction performed a wheel landing, the touchdown was smooth and normal. The pilot reduced the power to idle, the tailwheel lowered, and the airspeed decelerated to about 30 knots. He added that the airplane turned slightly right and that the pilot corrected with "slightly too much left rudder," followed by "too much right rudder," which led to a ground loop. The instructor attempted to recover with heavy left rudder and decided to perform a go-around. He attempted to add power, but he was unable to advance the power lever, which he believed the pilot was holding firmly. The left wing impacted the runway, and airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, while the pilot receiving instruction performed a wheel landing, the touchdown was smooth and normal. The pilot reduced the power to idle, the tailwheel lowered, and the airspeed decelerated to about 30 knots. The airplane turned slightly to the right and the pilot corrected with "slightly too much left rudder", followed by "too much right rudder", which led to a ground loop to the right. The instructor attempted to recover with heavy left rudder and decided to perform a go around. He attempted to add power, but was unable to advance the power lever, which he believes was being firmly held by the pilot. The left wing impacted the runway and airplane tipped onto its nose, The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about 4 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 330° at 7 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 12.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N772DW
- Reported as
- Siai-Marchetti SM (1019)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 007
- Built
- 1976
- Airframe hours
- 1,983
- Engine
- Allison 250-B15G, 317 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · October 24, 2018
- Departed
- 7S1 · Twin Bridges, MT
- Destination
- BZN · Belgrade, MT
- Airport
- BZN · Bozeman Yellowstone Intl, runway 12, 8,994 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 26
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 8, 2017
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,274 total · 83 in this make and model · 1,233 as pilot in command · 49 in the last 90 days · 29 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Last flight review
- August 10, 2017
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 331 total · 30 in this make and model · 197 as pilot in command · 31 in the last 90 days · 18 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.89 inHg
- Observed at
- KBZN
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 5, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.9 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.