# NTSB GAA19CA475: Avid Avid Mark IV, N4829W, Thompson Falls, MT, July 30, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 30, 2019, 09:15 local (15:15 UTC) - Place: Thompson Falls, MT - Coordinates: 47.776668, -115.476112 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.7767&lon=-115.4761&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious - Status: Completed, report May 21, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 99978 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA19CA475 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/99978/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99978 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA475 ## Probable cause The student pilot's failure to go-around after a hard, bounced landing and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action, which resulted in a collision with trees at the departure end of the runway. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Williams Jim AVID MARK IV, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=05621I0), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md) - [Action: lack of action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Williams Jim AVID MARK IV, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md?model=05621I0), [All aircraft, 792 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Williams Jim AVID MARK IV, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md?model=05621I0), [All aircraft, 933 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Williams Jim AVID MARK IV, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=05621I0), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) - [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Williams Jim AVID MARK IV, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=05621I0), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Approach-VFR go-around: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Williams Jim AVID MARK IV, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05621I0), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot reported that, during landing on a private grass airstrip, the airplane bounced hard, so he added power to stabilize it before continuing the landing. However, the airplane was nearing the end of the airstrip, so he added full power. The instructor stated that he initially assumed the student was performing a go-around, although they had not previously discussed the procedure. As the airplane continued toward the end of the airstrip, the student did not conduct a go-around, so the instructor took control of the airplane and initiated a go-around, but about 15 ft above ground level (agl), the airplane impacted trees beyond the end of the runway, spun, and stopped in the trees about 4 ft agl. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation and recommended that the student should have had more practice at a conventional airport before practicing at a private airstrip with restricted maneuvering space. ## Factual narrative The student pilot reported that, during landing on a private grass airstrip, the airplane bounced so he added power to stabilize the airplane before continuing the landing. However, they "began to run out of runway," so he added full power and the flight instructor took control of the airplane. The airplane struck the top of some trees and the right wing hit another tree. The instructor reported that he believed the airplane's throttle was improperly rigged, explaining that if you released the throttle, it would spring to full open. The instructor added that during landing the airplane bounced, the student "went wide open throttle," and the airplane stabilized about 15 feet above the ground. He assumed that the student was performing a go around, although they had not previously discussed the procedure. The airplane continued toward the end of the airstrip, but the student did not perform a go around or land. The instructor took control of the airplane and initiated a go-around, but the airplane impacted trees beyond the end of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The instructor recommended more practice at a conventional airport prior to practice at the private airstrip with restricted maneuvering space. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4829W](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4829W-2019-12-18), registration cancelled 2019-12-18, S/N 1541-D, built 1996 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Avid AVID MARK IV (No Series) - Registry model: [Williams Jim AVID MARK IV](https://openairdocs.org/model/williams-jim-avid-mark-iv) (registry code 05621I0) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 1541-D - Year built: 1996 - Engines: Jabiru 2200 85 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: Thompson Falls, MT - Destination: Thompson Falls, MT - Equipment: Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 69; injuries: serious; medical: unknown; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 43 total, 2.7 in the last 90 days, 1.2 in the last 30 days, 0.1 in the last 24 hours - Flight instructor; age 67; injuries: serious; flight instructor, commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 4, 2018; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 8,941 total, 6 in this make and model, 8,650 as pilot in command, 35 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 30.10 inHg - Observed at: KMLP, 20 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20190730006739A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190730006739A), Jul 30, 2019: Williams Jim AVID MARK IV, Thompson Falls, MT, Substantial damage. Description of the event: Aircraft owner/builder is a student pilot who was flying with his CFI practicing landings. They had been flying out of the nearby… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 18, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99978. 2.3 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 481 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40476883&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Student Pilot's Statement (item 2, .PDF, 45 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40476884&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Student%20Pilot%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation - Flight Instructor (item 3, .PDF, 68 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40476885&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Flight%20Instructor-Master.PDF - Accident Photo (item 4, .PDF, 1 photo, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40476886&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photo-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.