# NTSB SEA98LA136: Piper PA-32-300, Great Falls, MT, July 13, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 13, 1998, 14:36 local (20:36 UTC) - Place: Great Falls, MT - Coordinates: 47.649238, -111.379867 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.6492&lon=-111.3799&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 4 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 12, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 43225 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA98LA136 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/43225/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA98LA136 ## Probable cause The pilot-in-command's improper remedial action and overload of the nose landing gear. Contributing factors were gusty winds and a pilot-induced oscillation (porpoise). ## Analysis The pilot was executing a landing to runway 21 at the Great Falls International airport and reported that 'approximately 10 to 15 feet above the runway, the plane dropped suddenly, hitting the runway hard and starting a series of bounces-each bounce progressively higher-that I attempted to control with elevator and power. At the time, I was able to keep the plane straight down the runway but was being blown to the left by the cross wind. After the fourth bounce, I opted for a nose down landing in the face of my greater concern of leaving the runway and flipping the aircraft.' Tower controllers reported that they observed the aircraft begin porpoising with increasing severity during which the nose landing gear collapsed. The 1435 surface weather observation taken at the Great Falls International airport on the date of the accident reported winds from 230 degrees magnetic at 22 knots gusting to 30 knots. ## Factual narrative On July 13, 1998, at 1436 mountain daylight time, a Canadian registered Piper PA-32-300, C-GDBT, registered to James Wright Holdings Ltd., and being operated and flown by a Canadian private pilot, was substantially damaged during a loss of control and subsequent nose gear collapse at the Great Falls International airport, Great Falls, Montana. The pilot, his wife, and their two daughters were uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions existed and a VFR flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was personal, and was to have been operated under 14CFR91, originated from Bismarck, North Dakota, at 1138 hours central daylight time on the same day. According to airport tower controllers, the pilot was cleared to land on runway 21. During the landing rollout the aircraft was observed to begin porpoising with increasing severity, during which the nose landing gear collapsed and the aircraft slid to a stop. The pilot reported that "approximately 10 to 15 feet above the runway, the plane dropped suddenly, hitting the runway hard and starting a series of bounces-each bounce progressively higher-that I attempted to control with elevator and power. At the time, I was able to keep the plane straight down the runway but was being blown to the left by the cross wind. After the fourth bounce, I opted for a nose down landing in the face of my greater concern of leaving the runway and flipping the aircraft." The 1435 surface weather observation taken at the Great Falls International airport on the date of the accident reported winds from 230 degrees magnetic at 22 knots gusting to 30 knots. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) - porpoise/pilot-induced oscillation - encountered, pilot in command (contributing factor) - remedial action - improper, pilot in command (cause) - Nose gear collapsed, landing - roll - landing gear,nose gear - overload (cause) ## Aircraft - Registration: CGDBT (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-32-300 - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 327440003 - Airframe hours: 3122 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Cribb, Jim - Registered owner: James Wright Holdings Ltd. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 28, 1998, 55 hours before - Departed: BIS, BISMARCK, ND - Destination: GTF - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: GTF, Great Falls International, runway 21, 10,502 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 340 total, 153 in this make and model, 246 as pilot in command, 53 in the last 90 days, 32 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 230° at 22 knots, gusting 30 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: GTF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.