Artic Aircraft Corp. S-1B2 accident near Worland, Wyoming, December 6, 1997
On December 6, 1997 at about 6:20 pm local time, a Artic Aircraft Corp. S-1B2, registered N71AT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Worland, Wyoming. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
loss of engine power for undetermined reason(s). A related factor was the rough and uneven terrain on which the forced landing was made.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 6, 1997 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Worland, Wyoming · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Artic Aircraft Corp. S-1B2
- Registration
- N71AT · registry record · serial 1022
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot landed on a dirt road, picked up his passenger, and took off again to look for stray livestock. Spotting three head of cattle, the pilot reduced power and initiated a shallow descending turn. When he attempte to reapplied power, the engine did not respond. After several attempts to restore engine power, the pilot was forced to land in a dry creek bed. The landing gear was sheared off during the forced landing. Examination of the airplane revealed no contaminants in the fuel, and no obstructions in the fuel vent. Fuel, air, and ignition system continuity were established.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,290 hours in all; 5,570 in this make and model; 173 in the last 90 days; 55 in the last 30 days; 12,940 as pilot in command; 1,900 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,540 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 20, 1997; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Ten Sleep WY at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 22,000 ft; scat at 14,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from WRL, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N71AT the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.