Summary
On August 12, 1995, a Taylorcraft BC12D (N43597) was involved in an accident near St. Mary, MT. The accident resulted in 1 serious injury. The aircraft was destroyed.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE WHILE MANEUVERING IN HIGH, MOUNTAINOUS, TERRAIN. THE TERRAIN AND THE DOWNDRAFTS WERE FACTORS.
On August 12, 1995, approximately 1200 hours mountain daylight time, a Taylorcraft BC12D, N43597, was destroyed during a hard landing following an inflight encounter with weather in Glacier National Park near St. Mary, Montana. The private pilot sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was personal, was to have been operated under 14CFR91, and originated from Whitefish, Montana, approximately 1100 hours. The pilot reported that shortly after passing over a mountain ridge he encountered several extreme downdrafts and was unable to maintain altitude. He then executed a precautionary landing to a nearby meadow.
This accident is documented in NTSB report SEA95LA181. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N43597.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE WHILE MANEUVERING IN HIGH, MOUNTAINOUS, TERRAIN. THE TERRAIN AND THE DOWNDRAFTS WERE FACTORS.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On August 12, 1995, approximately 1200 hours mountain daylight time, a Taylorcraft BC12D, N43597, was destroyed during a hard landing following an inflight encounter with weather in Glacier National Park near St. Mary, Montana. The private pilot sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was personal, was to have been operated under 14CFR91, and originated from Whitefish, Montana, approximately 1100 hours. The pilot reported that shortly after passing over a mountain ridge he encountered several extreme downdrafts and was unable to maintain altitude. He then executed a precautionary landing to a nearby meadow. He stated that during his landing "the downdrafts did not dissipate" and that the "rate of descent on final was severe, resulting in a hard touchdown which also overturned the aircraft." Glacier National Park service personnel, who examined the wreckage site, plotted the crash at 6,560 feet above sea level and approximately 1 mile northeast of a northwest/southeast oriented 8,000 foot high ridgeline (refer to attached report).
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# SEA95LA181