# NTSB SEA95LA181: Taylorcraft BC12D, N43597, St. Mary, MT, August 12, 1995

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: August 12, 1995, 12:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place: St. Mary, MT
- Coordinates: 48.590492, -113.270362 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.5905&lon=-113.2704&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Completed, report January 29, 1996
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 42220
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA95LA181
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/42220/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA95LA181

## Probable cause

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE WHILE MANEUVERING IN HIGH, MOUNTAINOUS, TERRAIN. THE TERRAIN AND THE DOWNDRAFTS WERE FACTORS.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight encounter with weather, cruise
  - weather condition - downdraft (contributing factor)
- Hard landing, landing
  - terrain condition - high terrain (contributing factor)
  - terrain condition - mountainous/hilly (contributing factor)
  - clearance - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
- Nose over, landing - roll

## Analysis

SHORTLY AFTER PASSING OVER A HIGH MOUNTAIN RIDGE IN GLACIER NATIONAL PARK, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED SEVERE DOWNDRAFTS. HE INITIATED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING TO A MEADOW. DURING THE APPROACH THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE A HIGH RATE OF DESCENT UNTIL IMPACTING THE TERRAIN AND NOSING OVER.

## Factual narrative

On August 12, 1995, approximately 1200 hours mountain daylight time, a Taylorcraft BC12D, N43597, was destroyed during a hard landing following an inflight encounter with weather in Glacier National Park near St. Mary, Montana. The private pilot sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was personal, was to have been operated under 14CFR91, and originated from Whitefish, Montana, approximately 1100 hours.      The pilot reported that shortly after passing over a mountain ridge he encountered several extreme downdrafts and was unable to maintain altitude. He then executed a precautionary landing to a nearby meadow. He stated that during his landing "the downdrafts did not dissipate" and that the "rate of descent on final was severe, resulting in a hard touchdown which also overturned the aircraft."      Glacier National Park service personnel, who examined the wreckage site, plotted the crash at 6,560 feet above sea level and approximately 1 mile northeast of a northwest/southeast oriented 8,000 foot high ridgeline (refer to attached report).

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N43597](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N43597-1998-01-16), registration cancelled 1998-01-16, S/N 7256 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: TAYLORCRAFT BC12D
- Registry model: [Taylorcraft BC12-D1](https://openairdocs.org/model/taylorcraft-bc12-d1) (registry code 8850320) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 7256
- Airframe hours: 2235
- Engines: CONTINENTAL A65-8 65 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Terning, Nate, A.
- Registered owner: Robertson, Aleck, D. (Trustee)
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, June 18, 1995, 73 hours before
- Departed: 58S, WHITEFISH, MT
- Destination: CTB, CUT BANK, MT

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 19; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 204 total, 183 in this make and model, 147 as pilot in command, 18 in the last 90 days, 18 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 140° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: FCA, 31 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 19950812024009A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950812024009A), Aug 12, 1995: Tcraft BC12D1, St Mary, MT, Destroyed. Encountered downdraft over mountain unable clear terrain. Elected land. Unable flare. Impacted. Flipped over.

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.

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