Accident Cessna 180 N9171T, Sunday 24 April 1983

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Date:	Sunday 24 April 1983
Time:	16:30 LT
Type:	Cessna 180
Owner/operator:	Jeffrey Stuart Overton
Registration:	N9171T
MSN:	50671
Year of manufacture:	1959
Total airframe hrs:	3505 hours
Engine model:	Continental O-470-L
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Ft. Smith, MT - United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:
Destination airport:	Hardin, MT (MT02)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
AFTER TAKING OFF FROM FT SMITH, THE PLT LEVELED AT 500 FT AGL & FOLLOWED A RIVER TO LOOK AT SOME PROPERTY APRX 5 MI AWAY. WHILE EN ROUTE, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SPUTTER & RUN IRREGULARILY. HE PERFORMED A SUCCESSFUL PRECAUTIONARY LANDING IN A FIELD WHERE HE MADE A THOROUGH ENGINE RUN-UP & ALL SYSTEMS CHECKED NORMAL. THINKING THAT THE ENGINE MAY HAVE PASSED SOME WATER, HE ELECTED TO TAKEOFF & FLY TO HARDIN, MT. APRX 2 MIN AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE BEGAN SPUTTERING & RUNNING IRREGULAR AGAIN; HOWEVER, THE PILOT COULD GET NO IMPROVEMENT WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO RESTORE THE POWER. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A FIELD BEYOND SOME POWER LINES. WHILE APPLYING HEAVY BRAKES TO STOP BEFORE REACHING A DITCH, THE PLANE NOSED OVER. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT & ENGINE WAS MADE, BUT NO CAUSE FOR THE POWER LOSS WAS FOUND.

Probable Cause:

Accident investigation: