Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot-in-command's failure to maintain proper altitude while maneuvering in high, mountainous, terrain. The terrain and the downdrafts were factors.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
Shortly after passing over a high mountain ridge in glacier national park, the pilot encountered severe downdrafts. He initiated a precautionary landing to a meadow. During the approach the aircraft continued to experience a high rate of descent until impacting the terrain and nosing over.
Source record
Factual narrative
On August 12, 1995, approximately 1200 hours mountain daylight time, a Taylorcraft BC12D, N43597, was destroyed during a hard landing following an inflight encounter with weather in Glacier National Park near St. Mary, Montana. The private pilot sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was personal, was to have been operated under 14CFR91, and originated from Whitefish, Montana, approximately 1100 hours. The pilot reported that shortly after passing over a mountain ridge he encountered several extreme downdrafts and was unable to maintain altitude. He then executed a precautionary landing to a nearby meadow. He stated that during his landing "the downdrafts did not dissipate" and that the "rate of descent on final was severe, resulting in a hard touchdown which also overturned the aircraft." Glacier National Park service personnel, who examined the wreckage site, plotted the crash at 6,560 feet above sea level and approximately 1 mile northeast of a northwest/southeast oriented 8,000 foot high ridgeline (refer to attached report). -