What happened
On August 12, 2025, at approximately 14:57 mountain daylight time, a Vans RV-7A, registration N30SG, was involved in a fatal accident near West Glacier, Montana. The aircraft was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 for personal flight.
Witnesses at Ryan Field Airport (2MT1) observed the aircraft attempting to land on runway 15. During the first landing attempt, the airplane bounced on the runway twice, prompting the pilot to initiate a go-around. During this maneuver, the pilot reported via radio that the oil temperature was high and indicated an intention to fly around the area to allow the oil to cool before a second attempt.
On the second landing attempt, the aircraft bounced on the runway again, leading to another go-around. During this second maneuver, the right wing of the aircraft struck a tree located to the right of the runway. Following the impact, the airplane rolled inverted and struck the terrain in a nose-down attitude. Witnesses noted that the engine sounded normal at high RPM and the aircraft appeared stable during the climb-out, with one witness observing that the flaps were extended.
The investigation
Investigation of the accident site showed the aircraft came to rest in a near-vertical position in a wooded area. The wreckage was located approximately 1,720 feet from the approach end of runway 15 and about 100 feet west of the runway centerline.
The first identified point of contact was a tree situated 75 feet west of the runway centerline and 245 feet north of the main wreckage. The aircraft struck this tree at an altitude of approximately 55 feet above ground level. Fragments of the aircraft's transponder antenna and composite fairing were found on downed sections of the tree.
Preliminary ADS-B data indicated the flight departed from Kalispell City Airport (S27) at approximately 13:25. Before the accident, the aircraft orbited the Ryan Field Airport area multiple times. The flight track data concluded approximately 1 nautical mile northwest of the airport while the aircraft was at an altitude of about 4,375 feet MSL on a northerly heading.