NTSB Factual Report

On March 24, 2010, about 2330 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-22-150 Pacer, N3351Z, ground-looped at Terry Airport, Terry, Montana, after experiencing fuel exhaustion while on final approach. The private pilot and his passenger were not injured, but the airplane, which was owned by DEM Cattle Company, sustained substantial damage to the left side lower longeron. The 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 business flight, which departed Billings, Montana, about four hours prior to the accident, was en route to New Town, North Dakota. The landing was being made in night visual meteorological conditions (VMC). No flight plan had been filed.

According to the pilot, he did not seek a weather briefing from a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Flight Service Station or a DUAT (Direct User Access Terminal) provider prior to departure. Instead he called an acquaintance at his destination in order to find out what the current weather was, and what the forecast for the area was expected to be around the time of his arrival. While en route he contacted Flight Watch, the FAA's en route flight advisory service, to get an update on the weather at New Town. Flight Watch advised him that the weather around the New Town area was marginal VFR, with a current visibility of 10 miles, but with broken ceilings between 700 and 1,000 feet above ground level (agl). Once he got to a point about 20 to 25 miles east of Miles City, Montana, he began flying over a scattered to broken layer of clouds, which he eventually discovered reached all the way to his destination. As he continued on toward his destination, the clouds below him became a solid overcast, so he elected not to continue on to New Town, but instead asked Flight Watch to direct him to an airport that had visual meteorological conditions (VMC). Flight watch advised him that the weather in Dixon, North Dakota was still VFR, so the pilot started flying in that direction. But, by the time he got to within about 30 miles of Dixon, the weather had deteriorated there as well. At that time Flight Watch advised the pilot that his next best option was Bismarck, North Dakota, but the pilot decided to turn back toward the west to see if he could find an open airport in the direction he had originally come from.

As he headed back toward the west, the pilot was able to make contact with Minneapolis Center, whereupon he advised them of his "low fuel" conditions, and his desire to find an airport with VMC. The pilot was eventually able to descend through a hole in the clouds near Glendive, Montana, and although he initially thought about trying to land at Dawson Community Airport in Glendive, because of the weather conditions there, he elected to follow State Highway 94 further to the west. As he neared Terry, Montana, which is located about 35 miles southwest of Glendive, the weather conditions had improved enough that he decided to land at Terry Airport, which is located within one-quarter mile of State Highway 94.

While on a straight-in to runway 26, and still about one-half mile east of the runway threshold, the airplane ran out of fuel, and the engine stopped producing power. The pilot was able to stretch his glide to reach the threshold, but during the night downwind flare/touchdown on the unlighted runway, the airplane encountered a significant wind gust resulting in a ground-loop.

A post-accident inspection confirmed that there was no fuel left in the airplanes fuel system.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in gusting winds. Contributing to the accident was a loss of engine power on final approach due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot having to divert due to deteriorating weather conditions.