- Date
- February 15, 1998, 14:17 local (21:17 UTC)
- Place
- Bozeman, MT
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4835HPiper PA-17
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 8, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980215007339A
- Case key
- 42756
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 directional control during takeoff.
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 tailwheel airplane sustained substantial damage when the pilot lost directional control during takeoff and ground looped. Winds were calm at the time. The pilot stated that he 'got behind [it] and ground-looped.'
Factual narrative
On February 15, 1998, at 1417 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-17, N4835H, sustained substantial damage during a ground loop after landing at Bozeman, Montana. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the local flight. No flight plan was filed, and there was no report of an ELT actuating.
FAA inspectors reported finding no evidence of preexisting mechanical discrepancies that could have led to the accident. The pilot stated that he "got behind and ground-looped."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4835H
- Reported as
- Piper PA-17
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17-133
- Airframe hours
- 1,206
- Engine
- Continental A65-8, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Norman Mchenry
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 2, 1997 · 166 hours before
- Departed
- BZM
- Airport
- BZN · Bozeman, runway 12, 9,000 × 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
- 47
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 569 total · 536 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.