NTSB Details U.S. Senator L-39 Off-Field Landing

Preliminary report says the aircraft was substantially damaged during a gear-up landing near Ennis, Montana.

NTSB Details U.S. Senator L-39 Off-Field Landing
[Credit: Fasttailwind | Shutterstock]
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Key Takeaways:

  • U.S. Sen. Tim Sheehy's Aero Vodochody L-39 jet lost engine thrust during a practice instrument approach near Ennis, Montana, on April 10.
  • The instructional flight experienced an engine rollback to zero thrust while configuring for landing, and subsequent relight procedures failed.
  • The crew opted for an off-airport, gear-up landing in an open field rather than ejecting.
  • The aircraft sustained substantial damage, with one occupant incurring a minor injury and the other walking away uninjured.
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The NTSB released its preliminary report on the April 10 accident involving U.S. Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., saying an Aero Vodochody L-39 lost thrust during a practice instrument approach near Ennis, Montana. The aircraft was operating as a Part 91 instructional flight in preparation for an upcoming checkride when the crew made an off-airport, gear-up landing in an open field.

According to the report, the aircraft was descending through 8,500 feet msl on approach to Runway 16 at Ennis-Big Sky Airport when the pilot receiving instruction began slowing and configuring the aircraft for landing. The pilot told investigators that as the L-39 slowed to 190 knots, the engine rolled back to zero thrust. According to the instructor, the engine did not respond when the throttle was advanced, so they took control of the aircraft while the other pilot began engine relight procedures.

The engine did not restart, though, so the crew elected to land in a field rather than to risk ejecting. The aircraft touched down uphill and came to rest about 500 yards beyond the touchdown point. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage and both wings, but the report said there was just one minor injury, while the other occupant walked away with no injuries.

Matt Ryan

Matt is AVweb's lead editor. His eyes have been turned to the sky for as long as he can remember. Now a fixed-wing pilot, instructor and aviation writer, Matt also leads and teaches a high school aviation program in the Dallas area. Beyond his lifelong obsession with aviation, Matt loves to travel and has lived in Greece, Czechia and Germany for studies and for work.

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Replies: 12

  1. Wow - that sounds like they made a really smooth touchdown and slid. Nicely done. Challenging call - eject or land - made under a lot of pressure, with an excellent outcome. Hat’s off to them.

  2. Sen. Tim Sheehy is a member of the US Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. The investigation will likely tread lightly.

  3. That will be a tough investigation since like so many MAGAt Trump fellators his credibility is near zero.

    Gunshot Wound Inconsistency:** Federal records indicated that a bullet lodged in his arm was from a 2015 incident in Glacier National Park, where he told a park ranger he accidentally shot himself, rather than in combat as he later claimed
    Plagiarism Allegations:** An analysis by the dailymontanan.com found that 4 passages in his 2023 book, “Mudslingers: A True Story of Aerial Firefighting,” appeared to be lifted from outside sources without proper attribution.
    Business and Financial Scrutiny:** His company, Bridger Aerospace, faced scrutiny over its financial health, with reports of “substantial doubt” regarding its ability to continue, even while he received large bonuses.
    Controversial Remarks:** Sheehy faced backlash for derogatory comments about Native Americans and for suggesting that federal lands should be “turned over” to states, sparking concerns about privatization.
    Misleading Accusations:** He was accused of doctoring footage in a campaign commercial and misrepresenting his business success

  4. SteveR. We didn’t know Libtards could fly. How do you keep a medical with such a horrible diagnosis of TDS? Leave your freaking twisted views off this forum.

  5. Pot, Kettle. You obviously also suffer from terminal TDS.

  6. Well executed forced landing with minimal damage to pilots and plane. Best possible outcome. It will be instructive to see what caused the engine to shut down in this single-engine jet with no plane-parachute.

  7. So posting verifiable facts are now “libtard TDS”. Well that tracks.
    Noted.

  8. You know, gasbag, a big mug of Jim Jones Kool-Aid will cure your TDS and make you more tolerable; try it and report back.

  9. “That will be a tough investigation since like so many MAGAt Trump fellators his credibility is near zero.” Show the facts in this statement, perpetually angry libtard. Maybe you need to change your tampon, Timmy.

  10. Like many a/c, the Aero Vodochody L-39 has legacy issues that may be revealed during the investigation. Let’s leave politics aside since political affiliation isn’t required to earn a pilot’s license.

  11. There it is. The angry little 12 year old snowflake.
    None of you folks ever reply with verifiable information just pounding on your keyboard posting nonsense to “own the libs”. Something you never do.
    You got nothing so you deflect, name call, and stomp your feet.
    STFU the adults are having a conversation.
    All the info in the aforementioned (big word, I know) post id true.
    But, as usual, you can’t handle the truth.
    “No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot” - Mark Twain-

  12. “a big mug of Jim Jones Kool-Aid” & “try it and report back”
    Cracked me up, great post!

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