Short Brothers SD3-60 N691A

Summary

On 25 November 1997 at about 15:13 local time, a Short Brothers SD3-60 registered N691A was involved in an accident near Billings, Montana, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 November 1997 at 15:13

Classification

Accident

Location

Billings, Montana, United States

Nearest airport

Billings Logan Intnl (BIL)

Coordinates

45.8697, -108.4695

Aircraft

Short Brothers SD3-60

Registration

N691A

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Great Falls → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA98LA016

Nobody was injured.

The co-pilot's failure to maintain the proper descent rate on final approach, the pilot-in-command's delayed remedial action, and overload of the left main landing gear assembly. Factors contributing were snow, crosswind conditions and deteriorating visibility.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The Short Brothers SD3-60 cargo flight was being vectored for the VOR/DME RWY 28R approach to the Billings Logan International airport during instrument meteorological conditions. Weather conditions one minute before the accident were winds 020 at 13 knots, light snow and mist, and visibility was deteriorating rapidly. The co-pilot (occupying the right seat) was flying the aircraft, and the PIC (occupying the left seat) was handling radio communications. At 0812:25, having crossed the final approach fix, the aircraft descended through 100 feet above the MDA (3,940 feet or 426 feet above the runway threshold), and immediately thereafter the crew visually acquired the runway. At 0813:01 the aircraft's GPWS alert of 'SINK RATE' was heard, followed 2 seconds later by the PIC calling for 'POWER,' and a 2 second delay to ground impact. The co-pilot had logged a total of 103 hours in the SD3-60 (all within the previous 90 days,) while the PIC had just begun flying the aircraft in Montana's late fall weather after a 6 year assignment flying in the Hawaiian islands. The left main landing gear collapsed in overload during the ground impact.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.