Aviat A-1B N302MX

Summary

On 2 July 2013 at about 16:12 local time, a Aviat A-1B registered N302MX, operated by Flightline, Inc, was involved in an accident near Fort Smith, Montana, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 July 2013 at 16:12

Classification

Accident

Location

Fort Smith, Montana, United States

Coordinates

45.3025, -108.1369

Aircraft

Aviat A-1B

Registration

N302MX

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Flightline, Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Aerial Observation

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Laurel → Laurel

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR13CA213

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's improper decision to land on rough terrain at a high density altitude.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB 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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.