The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped Aviat Aircraft A-1B reported that he intended to land on a dry lakebed behind a model who was being photographed and create a “wall of dust” for the photograph.
During the landing roll, he was moving too fast to stop before reaching the model and elected to execute a go-around. He then returned to the lakebed and landed, where he saw that the model had been seriously injured.
According to the photographer, he and his model had been approached by the pilot, who offered his airplane as a backdrop for the photo shoot.
After taking several photographs near the airplane, the pilot offered to overfly the model for additional photographs.
The pilot flew over the model twice, and on the third flyover, the airplane was lower than the previous passes and the left wing struck the model in the back of the head.
Following the accident, the photographer obtained images from other photographers of the pilot performing similar maneuvers over other models at low altitude.
Title 14 of the Combined Federal Regulations, § 91.119 Minimum safe altitudes: General, states: “Except when necessary for takeoff or landing, no person may operate an aircraft below the following altitudes: (c) An altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.”
Probable Cause: The pilot’s unsafe inflight operation of the airplane and failure to maintain clearance from a person on the ground, which resulted in a serious injury.
To download the final report. Click here. This will trigger a PDF download to your device.
This June 2023 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Just a followup. This is a report done on the young woman almost killed in the 2023 incident. Reports were a month or so after incident.
https://nbcmontana.com/news/local/1-day-at-a-time-kalispell-woman-shares-story-about-injury-from-plane-accident
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAxE5pR3g_M
Reading the pilot’s report and the witness report in the NTSB docket is wild. Sounds like an old perv who nearly killed someone and then possibly swiped the memory cards that proved it.
Yes, everyone should read the witness report! You can’t make this stuff up.
This flying to find nude model photo shoots, landing, ask for photos with plane was more than just one time thing.
What a sad story. The “pilot” (aircraft operator may be a better word) was a 63 Male with 600 hours (Total, all aircraft), 250 hours (Total, this make and model), 600 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 5 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 2 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft). So not a rookie here. The people on the ground likely knew nothing about aviation.
I do hope the model recovers fully. Will there be a lawsuit? Probably.
Our GA community is small, insurance premiums have to keep up with claims. We all lose because of this “pilot’s” decision making.
Speaking of insurance, which of course in not required in the USA. If you are a pilot, did you buy the a “cheap-o” policy ($500K per incident with $100K per person sub limits). It is easy to be in excess of $100K. Many people never read insurance policies (of any kind), in aviation, liability sub limits make a huge difference, now is a good time to review and make sure you understand your policy.
The airplane is now for sale because he will never fly again.
I agree with a previous post. This should result in a permanent loss of license, and possibly any future aviation related work.
At 63, this pilot SHOULD know better. My guess is he was trying to be cool and make up for some other deficient area in his life, while almost taking the life of the model.
I hope there is a speedy and full recovery for the model, and a swift and permanent revocation of the pilot’s license
Although the article relates an event of carelessness all will agree is so stupid that no explanation can justify the act, it would seem that a rule of journalism would include more about the injury and fate of the victim than the fact that she was hit in the back of the head.
Yet another example showing the GA community is a dog park in the Wild, Wild West. Creating a dust storm? High noon at the OK corral. Brainless juvenile stunts like that should result in permanent loss of license, period. GA should ramp-up self-policing before the FAA steps up to the plate and does it for them. Regards/J
Play stupid games; Win stupid prizes.
Yes, but a 63 year old pilot playing this stupid of a game? Oh my, I guess what happens in Vegas didn’t stay in Vegas. No one goes to work thinking, what are the odds of getting whacked in the back of the head by an airplane landing next to me? OSHA where are you? Sad that there appears to be no end to the list of stupid pilot tricks…
OSHA can’t help on this one. The pilot landed on his on next to the photo shoot. Not invited. Read the husband of models letter in NTSB report.