Pilatus PC-6/B2-H4 N2TS

Summary

On 21 July 2001 at about 19:31 local time, a Pilatus PC-6/B2-H4 registered N2TS, operated by Thomas M. Siebel, was involved in an accident near Great Falls, Montana, United States. 3 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

21 July 2001 at 19:31

Classification

Accident

Location

Great Falls, Montana, United States

Nearest airport

Great Falls Intl (GTF)

Coordinates

47.5100, -111.2699

Aircraft

Pilatus PC-6/B2-H4

Registration

N2TS

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Thomas M. Siebel

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Wolf Creek → Great Falls

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA01LA139

Nobody was injured.

Pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft while landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to a written report submitted by the operator, the pilot was landing the tail-wheel equipped airplane on runway 03. Shortly after touchdown, during the roll-out, the pilot manually unlocked the airplane's tail wheel. Upon releasing the tail-wheel lock, "...directional control of the airplane was lost." The airplane subsequently ground looped resulting in substantial damage to the right wing. The 1257 METAR observation at Great Falls reported winds from 070 degrees at 6 knots. The accident report submitted by the operator indicated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the aircraft that may have contributed to the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.