# NTSB WPR23LA001: Scoda Aeronautica Ltda Super Petrel LS, N892SP, Perma, MT, October 2, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: October 2, 2022, 09:00 local (15:00 UTC) - Place: Perma, MT · Flat Head River – Mile Marker 97 Perma Bridge Highway 200 Perma, MT – - Coordinates: 47.35957, -114.54778 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.3596&lon=-114.5478&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 106040 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR23LA001 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106040/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106040 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA001 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from the powerline. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Scoda Aeronautica Ltda SUPER PETREL LS, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md?model=06001A5), [All aircraft, 559 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: wire](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on equipment (probable cause); cases with it: [Scoda Aeronautica Ltda SUPER PETREL LS, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032/cases.md?model=06001A5), [All aircraft, 588 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220) (defining event); cases with it: [Scoda Aeronautica Ltda SUPER PETREL LS, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md?model=06001A5), [All aircraft, 780 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md) ## Analysis The accident airplane was the lead airplane in a flight of two and while flying about 50 ft over a river, the airplane struck a power line. The airplane abruptly pitched up, descended to the right, and impacted the water, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. According to a witness, the pilot had prior experience flying at low level over the river close to the accident site. The trailing pilot reported that the accident pilot did not report any mechanical failures or anomalies before the impact with a powerline. The trailing pilot was not aware of the powerline placement, and it is likely that the pilot also did not see the powerline’s placement across the river as it was unmarked. ## Factual narrative On October 2, 2022, about 0900 central daylight time, a Scoda Aeronautica LTDA, Super Petrel LS, N892SP, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Perma, Montana. The pilot sustained serious injuries and later in the day succumbed to those injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the trailing pilot, he was following the accident pilot on an impromptu low-level flight over a river. Without incident, they departed Polson Airport, Polson, MT, about 0800, as a flight of two. He reported that about an hour later, while trailing the accident airplane and flying westbound about 50 feet above the river, he saw the lead airplane abruptly pitch up, descend to the right, and impact the water. A still image from a video captured by the trailing pilot showed that the accident airplane was about the height of the powerline poles shortly before the airplane pitched up (see Figure 1). Figure 1. Photo of power pole and line in relation to accident airplane before impact, with added depiction of the powerline over the river (courtesy of witness) The trailing pilot added that he did not see the powerline before the accident airplane impacted the wire. A witness who responded to the accident site reported that the pilot stated to him that he had flown over the river near the accident area before, but forgot about the powerline during the accident flight. Figure 2. Map depiction of wreckage site in relation to powerlines According to the power company, the “H” configured 2-pole structure on the north side of the river is about 50 ft above the ground (agl) and the structure on the south side of the river is about 55 ft agl, with a lineal span of 1026 ft. They estimated that the distribution powerline spanned above the water between 40 and 80 ft agl and that the line was not marked at the time of the accident. The airplane came to rest upright on a gravel bar that was about 4 ft below the water level and about 540 feet southwest of the northern power pole structure (see Figure 2). The engine and cabin were submerged with the wings and aft fuselage being above water. The tailcone was partially separated midspan; the empennage was inverted and partially submerged in the water. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The trailing pilot stated that the pilot did not report any mechanical anomalies concerning the airplane or engine during the accident flight. The auditioned video was consistent with the airplane and engine operating without any anomalies. Sanders County Medical Examiner & Coroner’s Office performed the pilot’s autopsy and reported his cause of death as multiple blunt force injuries. The autopsy identified moderate-to-severe and severe aortic atherosclerosis, with no other significant natural disease. The FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicological testing of specimensfrom the pilot, which were negative for performance-impairing drugs or alcohol. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N892SP](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N892SP), registered now, S/N S0344, built 2015 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: SCODA AERONAUTICA LTDA SUPER PETREL LS - Registry model: [Scoda Aeronautica Ltda SUPER PETREL LS](https://openairdocs.org/model/scoda-aeronautica-ltda-super-petrel-ls) (registry code 06001A5) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 912ULS2](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls2) (registry code 55599, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: S0344 - Year built: 2015 - Engines: ROTAX 912ULS2 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Stapleton Rick - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental light sport (Special) - Departed: 8S1, Polson, MT - Destination: Same as departure - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, ADS-B, Electronic multifunction display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 68; injuries: fatal; private, sport pilot; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; toxicology performed ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 130° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,400 ft overcast - Temperature: 50 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 30.11 inHg - Observed at: KMSO, 32 nm away - METAR: KMSO 021453Z 13003KT 10SM OVC014 10/09 A3011 RMK AO2 SLP195 T01000089 53007 ## 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 20221002015889A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20221002015889A), Oct 2, 2022: Scoda Aeronautica Ltda SUPER PETREL LS, Perma, MT, Substantial damage, 1 fatal. While performing reconaissance of a section of river for a landing zone, pilot struck a power line spanning the flathead river. The aircraft struck the lines,… ## Docket (7 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 3, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106040. 4.0 MB in all. - Witness statement (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 96 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15213203&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum of record - trailing pilot (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 65 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17632361&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MFR%20Trailing%20Pilot%20001-Rel.pdf - Memorandum of record - witness (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 64 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17632317&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Witness-Rel.pdf - Powerline wire placement over river (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 3.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16074040&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Email%20Screenshot%20of%20Wire%20Placement%20over%20River%20001_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo array (item 5, PDF, 5 pages, 467 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17210361&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20001-Rel.pdf - Wreckage release form (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 204 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15214753&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N892SP%20Signed%20NTSB%20Wreckage%20Release_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Medical factual memorandum for record (item 7, PDF, 3 pages, 133 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17522581&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR23LA001_MedicalFactualMemo-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.