Incident Overview
On August 12, 2025, at approximately 1457 mountain daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Vans RV-7A, registration N30SG, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Glacier, Montana. The pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operating under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Witness Accounts
Multiple witnesses at Ryan Field Airport (2MT1) observed the airplane attempting to land on runway 15. During the first approach, the airplane bounced twice on the runway before the pilot initiated a go-around. While climbing, the pilot radioed that the oil temperature was high and planned to fly around the area to cool the oil before another landing attempt. On the second approach, the airplane again bounced on the runway, prompting another go-around. During this go-around, the right wing struck a tree to the right of the runway. The airplane then rolled inverted and impacted terrain in a nose-down attitude. Witnesses reported that the airplane appeared stable during the accident go-around, with the engine at high rpm and sounding normal. One witness noted that the flaps were extended during the climb out.
Accident Site and Initial Impact
Examination of the accident site revealed the airplane came to rest in a near-vertical attitude in a wooded area approximately 100 feet west of the runway centerline and about 1,720 feet from the approach end of runway 15. The first identified point of contact (FIPC) was a damaged tree located about 245 feet north of the main wreckage and 75 feet west of the runway centerline. The airplane struck this tree about 55 feet above ground level. Downed sections of the tree displayed impact scars with small fragments of composite fairing and the airplane’s transponder antenna.
Flight Path Data
Preliminary ADS-B data showed the flight departed from Kalispell City Airport (S27), Kalispell, Montana, at about 1325 and flew toward Ryan Field Airport. Upon arrival, the airplane orbited the airfield multiple times. The flight track data ended approximately 1 nautical mile northwest of the airport, at which time the airplane was on a northerly heading at an altitude of about 4,375 feet above mean sea level. The wreckage was recovered for further examination.