Aviat A1 N29712

Summary

On 13 December 2015 at about 15:30 local time, a Aviat A1 registered N29712, operated by Curt Shatzer, was involved in an accident near Broadus, Montana, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 December 2015 at 15:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Broadus, Montana, United States

Coordinates

45.1200, -105.4342

Aircraft

Aviat A1

Registration

N29712

Category

Airplane

Year built

1989

Engines

1

Operator

Curt Shatzer

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Weston → Broadus

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA16CA080

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the wires while flying at a low altitude resulting in a wire strike, a loss of airplane control, and the consequent impact with terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, while flying at low altitude and following the course of a river, he did not see the telephone wires that spanned the width of the river. He recalled that while following the river's path, the airplane struck the wires, the airspeed decreased, and the wires "broke".  He reported that during the moments while the airplane was in contact with the wires, the airspeed bled off to below stall airspeed, descended, and impacted the ground east of the river bank. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, fuselage, horizontal stabilizer and elevator. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies prior to or during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.