Accident Overview
On March 24, 2010, at approximately 2330 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-22-150 Pacer, registration N3351Z, ground-looped at Terry Airport in Terry, Montana. The airplane had experienced fuel exhaustion while on final approach to runway 26. The private pilot and a passenger were not injured. The aircraft, owned by DEM Cattle Company, sustained substantial damage to the left side lower longeron.
Flight History
The flight, operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a business flight, had departed Billings, Montana, about four hours prior to the accident and was en route to New Town, North Dakota. The landing was conducted in night visual meteorological conditions (VMC). No flight plan had been filed.
According to the pilot, he did not obtain a weather briefing from a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Flight Service Station or a DUAT provider before departure. Instead, he called an acquaintance at his destination to inquire about current and forecast weather. En route, he contacted Flight Watch, the FAA’s en route flight advisory service, for an update. Flight Watch advised that weather near New Town was marginal VFR, with visibility 10 miles and broken ceilings between 700 and 1,000 feet above ground level.
Approximately 20 to 25 miles east of Miles City, Montana, the pilot began flying over a scattered to broken cloud layer that eventually became solid overcast. He decided not to continue to New Town and asked Flight Watch for an airport with VMC. Flight Watch suggested Dixon, North Dakota, but weather there deteriorated before he arrived. Flight Watch then recommended Bismarck, North Dakota, but the pilot turned back westward.
Contacting Minneapolis Center, the pilot reported low fuel and requested an airport with VMC. He descended through a cloud hole near Glendive, Montana. Although he considered landing at Dawson Community Airport, he instead followed State Highway 94 westward. Near Terry, Montana, weather improved enough for him to land at Terry Airport, located within one-quarter mile of the highway.
Landing and Ground Loop
While on a straight-in approach to runway 26, about one-half mile east of the runway threshold, the airplane’s engine stopped producing power due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot extended the glide to reach the threshold. During the night downwind flare and touchdown on the unlighted runway, the airplane encountered a significant wind gust, resulting in a ground-loop.
Post-Accident Inspection
A post-accident inspection confirmed that no fuel remained in the airplane’s fuel system.