Sunday, October 02, 2022

Scoda Super Petrel LS, N892SP: Fatal accident occurred October 02, 2022 in Perma, Sanders County, Montana

National Transportation Safety Board - Accident Report Number: WPR23LA001

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Helena, Montana 

Aircraft struck powerlines and crashed into Flathead River. 

https://registry.faa.gov/N892SP 

Date: 02-OCT-22
Time: 16:17:00Z
Regis#: N892SP
Aircraft Make: SCODA AERONAUTICA
Aircraft Model: SUPER PETRELL
Event Type: ACCIDENT
Highest Injury: FATAL
Total Fatal: 1
Flight Crew: 1 Fatal  
Pax: 0
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: UNKNOWN (UNK)
Operation: 91
City: PLAINS
State: MONTANA

Those who may have information that might be relevant to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation may contact them by email witness@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov. You can also call the NTSB Response Operations Center at 844-373-9922 or 202-314-6290.


Sanders County Montana Sheriff's Office - 

On October 2, 2022 around 08:45 hours, the Sanders County Sheriff’s Office received the report of a plane crash. It was reported the crash was located east of the Perma bridge, in the Flathead River. 

Upon further investigation, it was determined that the plane struck the power lines causing the crash. 

The Plains - Paradise rural fire district deployed their water rescue team. The team removed the occupant of the plane as well as, a Good Samaritan who swam out to the plane. Both were turned over to EMS for medical treatment. The pilot was flown to Kalispell.

Personnel from Sanders County Sheriff's Office, Tribal Law Enforcement, Tribal Fish Wildlife and Game, Plains-Paradise Rural Fire District, Plains Community Ambulance, Hot Springs Fire and EMS, Dixon QRU, Mission Valley Power, Montana State Fish Wildlife and Parks responded.

This crash is under investigation by the NTSB.






FLATHEAD RIVER, Montana — According to a Facebook post by the Sanders County Sheriff’s Office a plane crashed into the Flathead River east of Perma bridge around 8:45 this morning (10/02/22).

The sheriff's office determined the cause of the crash to be the plane striking power lines.

The Plains - Paradise rural fire district deployed their water rescue team and were able to get the pilot out of the plane. Where the pilot was then turned over to EMS and flown to Kalispell. The Sanders County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to MTN that the pilot succumbed to their injuries once flown to Kalispell.

Personnel from Sanders County Sheriff's Office, Tribal Law Enforcement, Tribal Fish Wildlife and Game, Plains-Paradise Rural Fire District, Plains Community Ambulance, Hot Springs Fire and EMS, Dixon QRU, Mission Valley Power, Montana State Fish Wildlife and Parks responded.

This crash is under investigation by the NTSB.


Dixon Rural Fire Department -

Shout out to the professionals from Plains Rescue and Hot Springs Fire for the incredible job of rescuing the pilot from the river today.  It's refreshing to know what agencies have the equipment and training to pull this off. 






18 comments:

  1. Right in my backyard. Details???

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  2. River flying is a lot of fun as it gives one a curved course to follow. On the other hand one often cannot see power lines and you have to recon the river before flying the stretch. Now that I am old I think 2000' feet above the river or lake fine.

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  3. River crossing power lines aren't always run on conspicuous towers and can drape closer to the water than some pilots might expect. Here is an example, found by searching east of Perma using StreetView:
    View heading toward the river from the road:
    https://goo.gl/maps/1nbUYmMYefCgaj9Y7
    Pole pair on the North side (zoom in all the way, here):
    http://maps.google.com/maps?t=k&q=loc:47.359767+-114.546267
    Pole on the South side:
    http://maps.google.com/maps?t=k&q=loc:47.355811+-114.545867

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  4. The example river crossing wire of the 1:41 PM post is the one he hit, near the Flathead River Reserve RV campsites.

    The photo KR posted with the helmet and backpack has Flathead River Reserve RV campsites in the background, easily identified by the wood structure and light colored shipping container, as seen in this video:
    https://youtu.be/yRvX_Nq1BzQ

    This video zooms in on the power line at 1:25, showing a portion near the south bank of the river just east of Flathead River Reserve RV campsite. The wires have a glint of sun on them if viewed at HD quality:
    https://youtu.be/OHgMrxeOqI0?t=85

    Flying low along the river is not the only possibility, pilot could have been coming down for a landing to visit people associated with the fifth wheel camper and bus RV that you see in the photo KR posted.

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  5. The Sanders County Sheriff's Office confirmed that the pilot died from his injuries.

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  6. The Scoda Super Petrel is an amphibious biplane of Brazilian manufacture powered by a Rotax 912ULS engine in pusher configuration.

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    Replies
    1. https://superpetrelusa.com/faq/ requires 30 inches of water depth in order to operate the landing gear up and down. On the water, the Super Petrel can be landed in 328 FEET.

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  7. The old buzz down the river is a lot of fun. Until someone gets poked in the eye.
    RIP.

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  8. "The Sanders County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to MTN that the pilot succumbed to their injuries once flown to Kalispell." Did one person die? or two? This sentence is confusing.

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    Replies
    1. Pilot was only one aboard. Seeing "they/their/them" for one person is an unwelcome sign of the times we now live in.

      "Chicago Manual Style and the Associated Press (AP) style book have both announced that they will be accepting they/them/their as an example of a singular and/or gender-neutral pronoun."

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    2. Sure, let's add more confusion to a language that is already difficult to use correctly even for those for whom it is their first language! This 'political correctness' crap is part of the problem not the solution to cultural difficulties.

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    3. The use of the word "their" is simply acquiescence to the liberal garbage that has infested the English language, thanks to the shit that is the democrat, woke, left.

      Delete
  9. Many times 'their' is used to withhold information about the pilot's identity.

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    Replies
    1. His family was made aware of the crash shortly after it happened. There’s no need to hide his pronouns.

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  10. Was this same model seaplane built in Brazil that crashed in East Hampton after wing broke off inflight ?

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  11. The pilot was in the river for about 90 minutes before the rescuers were able to get to him. The good samaritan was with him the whole time, he was conscious and talking. He coded once on the helicopter. I flew with him many times, he was a good man, safe pilot and great friend.

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