# NTSB WPR20CA166: Aviat A 1, N8QT, Glendive, MT, June 3, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report - Date: June 3, 2020, 15:00 local (21:00 UTC) - Place: Glendive, MT - Coordinates: 47.13861, -104.80722 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.1386&lon=-104.8072&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 101384 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR20CA166 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101384/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101384 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20CA166 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during landing in gusting wind condition which resulted in a collision with terrain. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Aviat A-1, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2210302), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Aviat A-1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=2210302), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Aviat A-1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2210302), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that the airplane was configured for landing on runway 30, and he intended to perform a three-point landing. He estimated that the wind was from 260° at 30 kts. When the airplane was about 1 ft above the runway surface, it encountered a microburst with a strong gust of wind which lifted the left wing. The pilot was unable to counteract the sudden attitude shift and the right wing drug on the ground. The pilot attempted to abort the landing as the left wing then impacted the ground, and the airplane became airborne shortly thereafter. The pilot remained in the airport traffic pattern and landed uneventfully. The left aileron was partially torn off as a result of the accident sequence. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8QT](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8QT), registered now, S/N 1378, built 1997 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Aviat A 1 (Undesignat) - Registry model: [Aviat A-1](https://openairdocs.org/model/aviat-a-1) (registry code 2210400) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-360-A1D](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-360-a1d) (registry code 41504, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1378 - Year built: 1997 - Airframe hours: 996 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A1D 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 4, 2019, 34 hours before - Departed: XWA, Williston, ND - Destination: GDV, Glendive, MT - Airport: GDV, Dawson Community, runway 30, 5,704 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system, Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 71; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: basicmed; last flight review September 10, 2019; seat: front; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 477 total, 39 in this make and model, 428 as pilot in command, 45 in the last 90 days, 16 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 280° at 14 knots, gusting 20 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 29.88 inHg - Observed at: KGDV ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20200603011199A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200603011199A), Jun 3, 2020: Aviat Aircraft Inc A-1, Glendive, MT, Substantial damage. On June 3, 2020 at 1500 MST, an Aviat A-1, N8QT registered to jd services inc, ground looped on landing at Dawson Community Airport (gdv), near Glendive,… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 9, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101384. 5.0 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 4.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10002947&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Picture of damage (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 817 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10004736&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=C-Form%20Photos-Rel.pdf 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.