- Date
- May 29, 2000, 11:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Laurel, MT
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N66KJCessna 182B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 18, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000529012269A
- Case key
- 49540
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 unsuitable terrain for the precautionary landing. Wet and soft terrain, and the pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft during the landing roll were factors.
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 reported to his insurance adjuster that he observed smoke in the cockpit coming from behind the EGT/CHT gages on the instrument panel. The pilot shut off the master switch and opted to perform a precautionary landing to an open field. During the landing roll, the airplane began to slide on the soft wet soil. The airplane nosed down and the propeller and right wing tip contacted the ground resulting in substantial damage. Post-accident inspection of the aircraft's electrical system found no evidence of overheating or anomalies to the wires and connections.
Factual narrative
On May 29, 2000, at an unknown time that morning, a Cessna 182B, N66KJ, registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, collided with the terrain during a precautionary landing near Laurel, Montana. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the private pilot was not injured.
The pilot reported to his insurance adjuster that he observed smoke in the cockpit coming from behind the EGT/CHT gages on the instrument panel. The pilot shut off the master switch and opted to perform a precautionary landing to an open field. During the landing roll, the airplane began to slide on the soft wet soil. The airplane nosed down and the propeller and right wing tip contacted the ground resulting in substantial damage.
The pilot did not report the accident to either the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). On June 27, 2000, an avionics shop, who performed maintenance on the aircraft in January 2000, and was notified by the pilot's insurance adjuster that the aircraft was involved in an accident, contacted the Helena, Montana, Flight Standards District Office (FSDO). It was at this time that the NTSB and FAA learned of the accident. The pilot has not been available for an interview.
On July 14, a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector from the Helena FSDO inspected the aircraft for evidence of heat distress behind the instrument panel. The inspector reported that the master switch and the avionics switch were turned on. After 25 minutes there was no evidence of overheating or smoke from under the panel. All wires and connections were inspected. No evidence of overheating was found.
On June 27, 2000, and August 15, 2000, the pilot was sent the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report Form 6120.1/2. To this date, the form has not been returned to this office.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N66KJ
- Reported as
- Cessna 182B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 51861
- Engine
- Continental O-470-L, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Kelly G. Kelly
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 16, 2000 · 59 hours before
- Departed
- RPX · Roundup, MT
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
- 34
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 100 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.