SEA98LA037

Factual narrative

On February 15, 1998, about 1230 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-11, N947MG, sustained substantial damage after the pilot lost control of the airplane during the first of a planned series of stop-and-go landings on runway 16 at Bridger, Montana. The student pilot sustained minor injuries. No flight plan was filed for the flight, which was conducted, in visual meteorological conditions. There was no report of an ELT actuating. The student pilot stated that he bounced during landing, so he decided to go around and try again. He said he pushed the carburetor heat in and gave the engine full throttle, but the airplane "didn't want to fly. The left wing started to stall and put me into a left turn. I corrected and the right wing stalled, and I veered off to the right. I bounced across the runway and didn't get the plane corrected before the leading edge of my right wing hit the top strand of a barbed wire fence." When the wing struck the wire, the airplane rotated 180 degrees and landed in a rubble pile. Winds were calm at the time. FAA inspectors found no evidence of preexisting mechanical discrepancies that could have led to the accident. The student pilot stated that he bounced during landing, so he decided to go around and try again. He said he pushed the carburetor heat in and gave the engine full throttle, but the airplane 'didn't want to fly. The left wing started to stall and put me into a left turn. I corrected and the right wing stalled, and I veered off to the right. I bounced across the runway and didn't get the plane corrected before the leading edge of my right wing hit the top strand of a barbed wire fence.' When the wing struck the wire, the airplane rotated 180 degrees and landed in a rubble pile. Winds were calm at the time. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12