# NTSB WPR23LA065: Piper PA42, Lewistown, MT, December 13, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: December 13, 2022, 10:06, time zone not recorded - Place: Lewistown, MT - Coordinates: 47.04925, -109.46669 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.0493&lon=-109.4667&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 4 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Helena FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 106455 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR23LA065 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106455/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106455 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA065 ## Probable cause The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the out of service visual glideslope indicator and snow obscuring the runway markings. ## 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: [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) - [Approach aid coverage/avail: visual approach aid](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03012070): Environmental issues › Operating environment · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03012070/cases.md) - [Ceiling/visibility/precip: snow](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 43 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035045/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight crew reported that, the instrument approach was flown on autopilot to about 700 ft above ground level until the runway was visually in sight. They were 300 ft off the runway centerline, and 1 nautical mile from the runway threshold. The visual glideslope indicator was inoperative, and the runway markings were obscured due to dry light snow. The airplane subsequently landed hard on the unusable portion of the runway, about 800 ft short of the landing threshold, and the left mail landing gear tire blew, causing the propellor to strike the runway. The airplane veered off the runway substantially damaging the left wing. The pilots reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: C-GZPU (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA42 (1000) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 42-5527011 - Year built: 1984 - Airframe hours: 7172 - Engines: Honeywell TPE331-14A-801Y 1650 horsepower turbo prop; Honeywell TPE331-14B-801Y 1650 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Business, Non-U.S., commercial - Operator: Babin Air - Registered owner: Babin Air - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, October 29, 2022, 29 hours before - Departed: KGTF, Great Falls, MT - Destination: KLWT, Lewistown, MT - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: KLWT, Lewiston Municipal Airport, runway 8, 6,100 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Onboard weather, Stall warning system, Satellite tracking device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 73; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review November 1, 2022; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 25,500 total, 250 in this make and model, 24,000 as pilot in command, 100 in the last 90 days, 35 in the last 30 days - Pilot; age 24; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review December 6, 2022; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 446 total, 47 in this make and model, 324 as pilot in command, 60 in the last 90 days, 40 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: 100° at 3 knots - Visibility: 1.5 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 400 ft overcast - Temperature: 14 °F, dew point 10 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Observed at: KLWT - METAR: SPECI KLWT 131702Z AUTO 10003KT 1 1/2SM BR OVC004 M10/M12 A2997 RMK AO2 T11001117= ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 2, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106455. 6.0 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 5.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14956095&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120flat_Redacted-Rel-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 551 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14921591&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos-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.