Amateur-built AVID MAGNUM accident near Kalispell, Montana, July 18, 1998
On July 18, 1998 at about 8:52 pm local time, a amateur-built AVID MAGNUM, registered N64KM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kalispell, Montana (Kalispell City airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions. A factor was gusty wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 1998 · about 8:52 pm local time
- Place
- Kalispell, Montana · Kalispell City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AVID MAGNUM AVID MAGNU
- Registration
- N64KM · registry record · serial KM-2
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing on runway 13. He reported the winds as being from approximately 100 degrees at approximately 10 knots, gusting to approximately 15 knots. He reported that the aircraft 'ground looped well into the landing roll' at an estimated speed of 35 MPH (the aircraft's landing-configuration stall speed is 36 MPH), and that the aircraft came to rest to the left of the runway. The pilot reported that no mechanical failure or malfunction was involved.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 714 hours in all; 72 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 636 as pilot in command; 24 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 12, 1997
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4N (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S27 Kalispell MT at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 3,600 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 100°F (38°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N64KM the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA98LA143.