- Date
- August 11, 1991, 18:10 local (Aug 12, 1991, 00:10 UTC)
- Place
- Belgrade, MT
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N18307Beech V35B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 9, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910811036929A
- Case key
- 41511
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 a positive rate of climb during the takeoff. Factors contributing to the accident were the open cabin window and the pilot's diverting his attention.
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
Immediately following gear retraction on takeoff the right center cabin window opened. The pilot's attention was diverted by the ambient noise and its effect on his daughter who was seated adjacent to the window. The pilot then turned his attention to securing the window and during this event failed to maintain a positive climb rate. The aircraft then settled back to the runway.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N18307
- Reported as
- Beech V35B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D10038
- Engine
- Continental IO-520, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Mm&O Aviation, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Mm&O Aviation, Inc.
- Destination
- BJC · Denver, CO
- Airport
- BZN · Gallatin Field, runway 3, 9,003 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 5,911 total · 4,000 in this make and model · 5,380 as pilot in command · 85 in the last 90 days · 45 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 39 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N18307 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.