Piper PA-18-150 accident near Forsyth, MT
On August 18, 2011, a Piper PA-18-150 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Forsyth, MT. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- August 18, 2011
- Place
- Forsyth, MT
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 46.578°N, 106.922°W
- NTSB ID
- 20110818X51603
Official records · WPR11FA390
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn August 18, 2011, about 0925 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-18-150, N7666D, impacted an open area in mountainous terrain near Forsyth, Montana. Big Sky Wildlife Consultants operated the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a contract flight to count prairie dogs. The commercial pilot and one passenger were fatally injured; the airplane was substantially damaged as a result of impact forces and post impact fire. According to friends of the pilot, the two men were going up to take pictures of a prairie dog town and conduct a survey of the population. According to witnesses hunting in the area, they observed the accident airplane fly overhead, descend in a turn below the mountain tops, and then observed smoke. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe pilot, age 39, held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane issued March 1, 2011. The pilot held a second-class medical issued on March 11, 2011, with no limitations. No personal flight records were located for the pilot, and the company and family believed that the pilot's logbook was onboard the airplane at the time of the accident. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) obtained the aeronautical experience listed in this report from a review of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airmen medical records on file in the Airman and Medical Records Center located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The pilot reported on his most recent medical application dated March 11, 2011, a total time of 3
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering, which resulted in a stall/mush, loss of control, and impact with terrain.
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.
