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| Date: | Tuesday 19 May 1998 |
| Time: | 16:36 LT |
| Type: |  Piper PA-31T Cheyenne I |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N121BE |
| MSN: | 31T-8004036 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1980 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 2226 hours |
| Engine model: | P&W PT6A-11 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 1/2 mile south of Great Falls International Airport, Great Falls, Mont -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | (KGTF) |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The flight was on a practice nondirectional beacon (NDB) approach to Great Falls runway 34 in visual conditions. Abeam the final approach fix, the aircraft was 4 miles right of course. Upon being advised of this by ATC, the pilot corrected back to final with a 60-degree intercept angle, rolling out on course 3 miles from the runway. When the pilot called missed approach, the local controller (a trainee) instructed the pilot to make a 360-degree right turn to enter right downwind for runway 3, and the pilot acknowledged. The controller trainee then amended this instruction to a 180-degree right turn to enter right downwind for runway 21, then to a 180-degree right turn to enter right downwind for runway 3. The crew did not acknowledge the amended instruction. Controllers then observed the airplane had crashed. Witnesses reported the airplane entered a steep descent from a right turn and impacted the ground at a steep angle. The flight was described as recurrent training required by the owner's insurance; however, the second aircraft occupant's airline transport pilot and flight instructor certificates had been revoked, and he held only a private pilot certificate. Investigators found no evidence of aircraft malfunctions.
Probable Cause: The flight crew's failure to maintain aircraft control.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB SEA98FA078
FAA register: 2. FAA: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?omni=Home-N-Number&nNumberTxt=121BE
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:23 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency, ] |
| 07-Aug-2017 08:42 | TB | Updated [Aircraft type, ] |
| 07-Aug-2017 08:43 | TB | Updated [Source, ] |
| 13-Sep-2017 21:02 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 18-Sep-2017 21:06 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, ] |
| 07-Apr-2024 12:18 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report, ] |
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