- Date
- October 19, 2004, 10:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Winifred, MT
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N79795Aviat A-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 7, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA-FSDO
- FAA report
- 20041019024769A
- Case key
- 60393
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 airspeed which resulted in an aerodynamic stall while maneuvering.
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 and passenger were conducting aerial surveillance supporting livestock operations. In a written report, and subsequent telephone discussion, the pilot reported he was operating at 200 feet above ground level (AGL) at an indicated airspeed of 60 miles per hour. He conveyed that on his third pass "the aircraft got soft and dropped slightly." The pilot added power and lowered the nose of the airplane, however the airplane continued to settle, eventually striking a treetop and terrain. In his written report, the pilot stated that the airplane did not respond to normal stall recovery techniques, and continued to settle after lowering the nose and adding power. No mechanical difficulties or malfunctions were reported.
Factual narrative
On October 19, 2004, about 1000 mountain daylight time (MDT), an Aviat A-1 Husky, N79795, sustained substantial damage following a loss of control and subsequent in-flight collision with trees and terrain near Winifred, Montana. The airplane is owned by the pilot and was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local flight (supporting livestock operations) under the provisions of Title 14, CFR 91, when the accident occurred. The commercial pilot and passenger sustained minor injuries in the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight that originated from Denton, Montana, at 0700 MDT.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board IIC, on October 19, the passenger stated the airplane collided with trees shortly after completing a turn.
In a written report, and subsequent telephone discussion, the pilot reported he was operating at about 200 feet above ground level (AGL) at an indicated airspeed of 60 miles per hour. He conveyed that on his third pass "the aircraft got soft and dropped slightly." The pilot added power and lowered the nose of the airplane, however the airplane continued to settle, eventually striking a treetop.
In his written report, the pilot stated that the airplane did not respond to normal stall recovery techniques, and continued to settle after lowering the nose and adding power.
No mechanical difficulties or malfunctions were reported.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N79795
- Reported as
- Aviat A-1
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1205
- Airframe hours
- 523
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-CIG, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Curtis M. Hershberger
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 16, 2004 · 36 hours before
- Departed
- 5U0 · Denton, 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
- 45
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- October 31, 2002
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 2,300 total · 578 in this make and model · 26 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 30 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.