- Date
- July 2, 2013, 10:12 local (16:12 UTC)
- Place
- Fort Smith, MT
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N302MXAviat A-1B
- Defining event
- Landing-aborted after touchdown: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 5, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20130702011189A
- Case key
- 86791
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 improper decision to land on rough terrain at a high density altitude.
Findings · 3
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 he was conducting a wildlife survey flight and had been airborne about 2.5 hours, when the observer said that he would like to take a break. At that time, the flight was over a high mesa covered in short grass, which the pilot decided was a suitable landing area. The touchdown was smooth, but the airplane encountered undulating terrain during the rollout and began to bounce. The pilot added full power to abort the landing, and the airplane's speed began to increase; however, the pilot was unable to take off before impacting a bush. The airplane traveled several hundred feet down a ravine and came to an abrupt stop. The airplane's main landing gear collapsed, and both wings sustained substantial damage. The pilot estimated that the density altitude at the landing site was about 8,950 feet. He stated that the accident could have been avoided had he "made the decision not to land off-airport in that area at such density altitudes." The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was conducting a wildlife survey flight and had been airborne about 2.5 hours, when the observer said that he would like to take a break. At that time, the flight was over a high mesa covered in short grass, which the pilot decided was a suitable landing area. The touchdown was smooth, but the airplane encountered undulating terrain during the rollout and began to bounce. The pilot added full power to abort the landing, and the airplane's speed began to increase; however, the pilot was unable to take off before impacting a bush. The airplane traveled several hundred feet down a ravine and came to an abrupt stop. The airplane's main landing gear collapsed, and both wings sustained substantial damage. The pilot estimated that the density altitude at the landing site was about 8,950 feet. He stated that the accident could have been avoided had he "made the decision not to land off-airport in that area at such density altitudes." The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N302MX
- Reported as
- Aviat A-1B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2008
- Airframe hours
- 4,386
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1P, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Operator
- Flightline, Inc
- Registered owner
- Innes Ranch LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 18, 2013
- Departed
- 6S8 · Laurel, MT
- Destination
- 6S8 · Laurel, MT
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
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
- 30
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 2, 2012
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 2,379 total · 160 in this make and model · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.17 inHg
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 12, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.0 MB 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.