Piper PA-18-150 accident near Opheim, MT
On July 14, 1999, a Piper PA-18-150 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Opheim, MT. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- July 14, 1999
- Place
- Opheim, MT
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 48.870°N, 106.561°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001212X19373
NTSB summary
On July 14, 1999, approximately 1100 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-18-150, N4385Z, impacted the terrain while performing aerial application at a field located about seven miles north of Opheim, Montana. The commercial pilot received fatal injuries, and the aircraft, which was owned and operated by Aero Crop Care of Las Animas, Colorado, sustained substantial damage by a post-impact fire. The 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight, which had been in the air for about ten minutes, was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed, and there was no report of an ELT activation. According to witnesses, shortly before the accident, the pilot added fuel and application chemical to the aircraft. The pilot reportedly said that he was going to take on a partial load of both chemical and aviation fuel because he estimated the temperature to be 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit and was concerned about the reduced performance of the aircraft under the ambient conditions. Although witnesses reported that he did not fill the fuel tanks, it could not be confirmed that he took on a reduced load of chemicals. After refueling, the pilot returned to an application site that was approximately 3,000 feet above sea level (MSL). Although the field itself was relatively flat, it required executing a course reversal at one end over abruptly rising hilly terrain. After he returned to the field, witnesses saw the aircraft make a application pass in one direction, but the aircraft did not make a pass in the opposite direction. Soon thereafter witnesses noticed black smoke
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain an airspeed above stall speed (Vs), resulting in a stall/mush into the terrain during a course reversal at the end of an aerial application run. Factors include hilly terrain and high density altitude.
More accidents in MT
- Pilatus PC-12/45, Mar 22, 2009
- Beech D18S, Jul 5, 1987
- Cessna 550, Dec 18, 1992
- Beech V35B, Jun 24, 1982
- Cessna 182C, May 12, 2007
Browse: Montana · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
