- Date
- August 2, 2010, 08:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- White Sulphur Springs, MT
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3098MPiper PA-12
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20100802039419A
- Case key
- 76821
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 loss of directional control while attempting to avoid a herd of antelope crossing the runway during the landing rollout.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that after a local area flight in a tailwheel-equipped airplane, the approach and landing was uneventful. As the airplane touched down, a herd of antelope entered the left side of the runway and crossed in front of the airplane. The pilot attempted to swerve to the right to avoid the animals and the airplane ground-looped, substantially damaging the airplane’s left wing. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that after a local area flight in a tailwheel-equipped airplane, the approach and landing was uneventful. As the airplane touched down, a herd of antelope entered the left side of the runway and crossed in front of the airplane. The pilot attempted to swerve to the right to avoid the animals and the airplane ground-looped, substantially damaging the airplane’s left wing. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3098M
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-1784
- Airframe hours
- 1,750
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Roatch Edward J
- Registered owner
- Roatch Edward J
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 15, 2003 · 62 hours before
- Departed
- 7S6 · White Sulphur Springs, MT
- Destination
- 7S6 · White Sulphur Springs, MT
- Airport
- 7S6 · White Sulphur Springs Airport, runway 31, 3,200 × 90 ft, grass/turf
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
- 72
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 12, 1998
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,084 total · 500 in this make and model · 1,060 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
- Observed at
- KHLN, 52 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 16, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 623 KB in all.
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 N3098M · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.