Non-Federal Aerial Accidents

AERIAL GUNNING ACCIDENT REPORT
PRIVATE and STATE ENTITIES
Wendy Keefover-Ring WildEarth Guardians, 1973-2009 (Last updated: February 2010)

Accident and Injury Summary

No Injuries: 22 accidents with no injuries1
Minor Injuries: 17
Serious Injuries: 22
Fatal Injuries: 28

Total Accidents: 58
Total Injuries/Fatalities: 67

DATE	CITY, STATE	INJURY RECORD	DESCRIPTION	TYPE OF AIRCRAFT & ENGINE
2/25/09	O'Donnell, TX NTSB Report	Minor None	Crew were hunting coyotes when they came across wild hogs -- attempted to move them -- maneuvers caused loss of power.	Robinson Helicopter R22 Beta
10/30/08	Powder River, WY NTSB Report	Minor None	Helicopter malfunctioned and forced a hard landing on hillside while coyote hunting.	Hiller UH-12E
4/11/08	Denio, NV NTSB Report	None None	Gunner shot and injured a coyote. As the pilot circled over the animal at ~20' feet, the helicopter's engine failed.	Bell 47G-3B-1
7/30/07	Wasta, SD NTSB Report	Minor Minor	State of SD. Down draft prevented the plane from gaining altitude after killing a coyote at low altitude.	Christen A-1 Husky
7/13/07	Jordan, MT NTSB Report	None None	Pilot attempted to land on a narrow ridge above coyote den, but "hit the ground hard and bounced back into the air." Plane plunged into a wash and damaged the craft.	Piper PA-18-150
2/1/07	Glennallen, AK NTSB Report	Minor None	Wolf hunt. Pilot failed to maintain adequate airspeed during descent.	Piper PA-12
5/19/05	Lodgepole, SD NTSB Report	Serious Minor	State of SD. While hunting coyotes, pilot made a 360 degree left turn that caused him to encounter wind turbulence from his own plane's wake. The plane was flying low to the ground and thus could not recover. The plane struck the ground twice.	Aviat A-1B
8/25/03	Ozona, TX NTSB Report	Minor Minor	While hovering above the ground at 25', helicopter crashed. Crew was hunting feral hogs.	Robinson R22Beta
7/15/03	Zurich, MT NTSB Report	Serious Serious	While engaged in a turn while flying slowly, the plane stalled and crashed and the landing gear failed.	Piper PA-18A
2/20/03	Garryowen, MT (Crow Reservation) NTSB Report	Fatal Serious	Attempting to hunt coyotes at low flight hindered mobility.	Piper PA-22-150
3/25/02	Ft. Peck, MT NTSB Report	Serious Serious	During coyote control flight, the passenger "inadvertently discharged a semiautomatic 12-guage shotgun" which struck the wing and aileron assembly.	Piper PA-18-150
3/30/00	Eureka, SD NTSB Report	None None	State of SD. While coyote hunting, a shotgun shell lodged in controls.	PA3 J-3C
5/22/99	Baggs, WY NTSB Report	None None	While landing to pick up shot coyote, a hard landing severed the tail of the helicopter.	1976 Enstrom 280c Helicopter
5/8/99	Lander, WY NTSB Report	Fatal Fatal	Plane crashed en route to ranch for coyote hunting expedition by unknown circumstances.	Piper PA-11
5/11/98	Artesian, SD NTSB Report	Minor Minor	State of SD. Flying at 150' when the "stick went limp." Windshear suspected.	Piper PA-18-150
12/5/96	Cohagen, MT NTSB Report	Fatal Fatal	Probable cause: flying underspeed and overweight.	Piper PA18-135
9/19/96	Gillette, WY NTSB Report	Fatal Serious	State of WY. Flying at 40' chasing a fox. Plane hit a power line.	Piper PA-18 Lycoming 0-320
4/18/96	Silver City, TX NTSB Report	None None	Craft hovering above brush when it lost lift due to changing winds and crashed.	Schweizer 269C Helicopter
3/21/95	Gail, TX NTSB Report	Serious Serious	Wing caught thermal draft during a turn -- flying 200' off the ground.	Piper PA-18 Lycoming 0-320
2/1/95	El Indio, TX NTSB Report	Minor Minor Minor	Flying at 25' from ground chasing a bobcat when the tail rotor caught a gust of wind.	Bell 47G-4A, N6SR Lycoming VO540B1B3
7/8/93	Laramie, WY NTSB Report	Fatal Serious	While chasing a coyote, the craft abruptly pulled up, stalled and crashed.	Piper PA12
9/29/90	Albany, TX NTSB Report	None Minor	Helicopter flying at low altitude when it lost power.	Robinson R22Beta
3/4/90	Pine Ridge, SD NTSB Report	Fatal Minor	Low altitude flight. Craft stalled, crashed and burned.	Champion 7EC
2/14/88	Circle, MT NTSB Report	None None	While landing to pick up shot coyote, plane nosed over in deep snow.	Piper J3C-65
12/26/86	Lewistown, MT NTSB Report	Fatal Fatal	Burned, wrecked aircraft found 3 days after it left for a coyote hunting trip.	Piper PA-18-150
12/6/86	Havre, MT NTSB Report	Serious Minor	Pilot stalled craft -- flying 20' off the ground.	Piper PA-18-150
10/8/86	Richey, MT NTSB Report	Serious Serious	While in a turn, craft impacted the ground.	Piper J3C-65
12/25/84	Imlay, NV NTSB Report	Fatal Fatal	Witnesses saw craft flying low and slow prior to crash.	Piper PA-18-150
12/1/83	Herreid, SD NTSB Report	None None	Pilot ran into a creek bed during landing to pick up (shot and killed) coyote.	Piper PA-18A 150
1/6/83	Sula, MT NTSB Report	Fatal Serious	On coyote hunt. White-out conditions.	Bell 206B
2/13/82	Plentywood, MT NTSB Report	Minor None	Crashed while hunting coyotes at night.	Piper PA-18
1/15/82	Near Malta, ID NTSB Report	Minor/None	Hooked snowboard on sagebrush while chasing a coyote; helicopter rolled upon ground impact.	HUGHES 269C
11/17/81	Craig, CO NTSB Report	Minor/None Minor/None	Made downwind pass while shooting a coyote. RPM decayed and forced to land; skid broke upon hitting root upon landing.	HILLER UH12E
1/19/80	Kelton, VT NTSB Report	Serious Fatal	Aircraft crashed during low level flight while hunting coyotes.	Piper PA-18
1/4/80	Las Animas, CO NTSB Report	Minor/None Minor/None	Pilot and passenger were hunting coyotes from air; claimed engine failed; no engine problem found.	Piper PA-18
12/23/77	Gordon, NE NTSB Report	Fatal Fatal	Pilot failed to obtain or maintain flying speed while hunting coyotes in gusting winds.	LUSCOMBE 8E
3/15/77	American Falls, ID NTSB Report	Minor/None Minor/None	Hunting coyotes; flew below top of ridge and unable to climb. Continued into canyon and unable to turn around.	TAYLORCRAFT BC12D
1/24/77	Ennis, MT NTSB Report	Minor/None Minor/None	While coyote hunting, helicopter encountered whirlwind. Hovered at 20' and then set craft down.	BELL 47G3B1
1/3/77	Glasgow, MT NTSB Report	Minor/None	Coyote hunting; pilot stated that the battery shorted because of objects in baggage compartment and other problems.	PIPER PA-18
12/29/76	Tecumseh, NE NTSB Report	Minor/None Minor/None	Low-level flight in conjunction with coyote hunt. Stalled on leeward side of trees.	BELLANCA 7ECA
11/21/76	Geyser, MT NTSB Report	Serious Fatal	Coyote hunting. Pilot failed to maintain flying speed.	BELLANCA 7GCBC
3/27/76	Reed, OK NTSB Report	Fatal Serious	Stalled during steep turn at low altitude while chasing a coyote.	PIPER J3C
1/22/76	Willard, NM NTSB Report	Fatal Serious	Coyote hunting. Pilot's attention diversted.	PIPER PA-18
1/13/76	Red Bluff, CA NTSB Report	Minor/None Minor/None	Coyote hunting.	CESSNA 180
1/8/76	Geraldine, MT NTSB Report	Minor/None Minor/None	Hunting coyotes; nosed over in deep snow.	PIPER PA-18
12/9/74	Wray, CO NTSB Report	Minor/None Minor/None	Coyote hunting. Pilot failed to maintain flying speed.	BELLANCA 7GCBC
6/13/74	Miles City, MT NTSB Report	Minor/None Minor/None Minor/None Minor/None	Coyote hunting; fuel warning light followed shortly by engine failure. No de-icer additive in fuel; temp -6 degrees F.	BELL 206B
6/13/74	Laramie, WY NTSB Report	Minor/None Minor/None	Predator control; damaged right wing.	Piper PA-18
5/26/74	Bill, WY NTSB Report	Fatal Fatal	Coyote hunting. Pilot's attention diverted.	PIPER PA-18
3/30/74	Gouldbusk, TX NTSB Report	Minor/None Minor/None Minor/None	Returning to ranch at low altitude following Coyote hunt; lost power during pull up over power lines.	HILLER ACFT UH-12A
1/27/74	Hammond, MT NTSB Report	Fatal Fatal	Coyote hunting. Pilot's attention diverted.	BELLANCA 7GCBC
12/16/73	Grainola, OK NTSB Report	Fatal Fatal	Coyote hunting; low speed pass over a coyote.	AERONCA 7BCM
7/12/73	Alpine, TX NTSB Report	Minor/None Minor/None	Jammed flight controls while coyote hunting. Investigation revealed 4 shell cases under seat at cyclic control mechanism.	HUGHES 269A
6/13/73	Quemado, TX NTSB Report	Fatal Fatal	Believed coyote hunting.	Piper PA-18
4/9/73	Baker, NV NTSB Report	Fatal Serious	While hunting coyotes, lost control in low steep turn.	Piper PA-18
2/24/73	Weston, ID NTSB Report	Serious Minor/None	Coyote hunting.	Piper PA-18
2/22/73	Hanna, WY NTSB Report	Minor/None Minor/None	While hunting coyotes, pilot flew too low for recovery.	Hughes 269A
1/11/73	McLaughlin, SD NTSB Report	Serious Serious	Coyote hunting; throttled back; began turn; added power due to rising terrain and engine sputtered.	Piper PA-18

1We included in this category all the incidents (1973 to 1982) where NTSB did not distinguish between "minor" or no injuries.

Sources: Freedom of Information Act Requests received by Sinapu from the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration, and/or the National Transportation Safety Board's website (http://www.ntsb.gov).