- Date
- November 7, 1996, 15:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Hardin, MT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N3126SCessna 182G
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 30, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19961107034879A
- Case key
- 42539
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 inadequate compensation for the wind conditions during the landing, and his failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft after touched down. Factors relating to the accident included the pilot's abrupt movement of the throttle as he attempted to initiate a go-around, the strong/gusty/quartering crosswind, and a ditch near the edge of the airstrip.
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 made an approach to land on runway 28 with with the wind from 310 degrees at 25 gusting 40 knots. He encountered a strong gust just as the aircraft touched down. Because he was having trouble controlling the aircraft in the strong wind, he initiated a go-around, but advanced the throttle (in a manner that he believed was) too abrupt, resulting in a loss of engine power. He then transitioned back to the landing, but did not keep the aircraft from departing the side of the runway. After the aircraft departed the runway, it hit a ditch and nosed over.
Factual narrative
On November 7, 1996, approximately 1500 mountain standard time, a Cessna 182G, N3126S, operated and being flown by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during a loss of control while landing on the pilot's private airstrip near Hardin, Montana. The pilot and passenger were uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions existed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was personal, was to have been operated under 14CFR91, and originated at Glasgow, Montana.
The pilot reported that upon arrival at his private strip, he encountered strong crosswinds, gusting to 40 knots, and blowing about 30 degrees from the runway heading. On his second attempt to land to the west, the aircraft was hit by a strong gust just as it touched down, and because he was having trouble controlling it in the strong winds, he attempted to go around. As he initiated the go-around, he abruptly applied power, resulting in the engine momentarily losing power. He then transitioned back to a landing, and during the ground roll, the aircraft departed the runway, rolling into a shallow ditch and nosing over.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3126S
- Reported as
- Cessna 182G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 182-55626
- Airframe hours
- 5,200
- Engine
- Continental O-470-R, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Kenney, Kevin, L.
- Registered owner
- S.A.K., Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 15, 1996 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- GGW · Glasgow, MT
- Airport
- Private Airstrip, runway 28, 1,500 × 50 ft, gravel
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
- 40
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 980 total · 980 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 25 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.