- Date
- August 15, 1990, 08:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Ovando, MT
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N8343QCessna A185F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900815033079A
- Case key
- 41263
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 misjudgement of altitude and distance to the runway, while on final approach, and his failure to attain the proper touchdown point for landing. The fence was a related factor.
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
While on final approach to land at a private grass strip, the aircraft struck a fence post. During impact, most of the right stabilizer & all of the right elevator separated from the aircraft. The aircraft continued flying & the pilot flew it back to the point of departure & landed successfully.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8343Q
- Reported as
- Cessna A185F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18503662
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John J. Mckenna
- Departed
- BZN · Bozeman, MT
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- Whitetail Ranch
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 36
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 1,500 total · 300 in this make and model · 53 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HLN, 62 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.