Non-Instrument Pilot Was Killed August 30th Flying In Reported Instrument Conditions

Preliminary information released by the NTSB in an accident which occurred in Montana late last month indicated that the pilot of the Cessna 182 was operating his aircraft in weather conditions for which he was not rated. He was the only person on board the airplane at the time of the accident.

NTSB Identification: WPR10FA438
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, August 30, 2010 in Belgrade, MT
Aircraft: CESSNA 182C, registration: N8957T
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

On August 30, 2010, about 0756 MDT, a Cessna 182C, N8957T, impacted hilly terrain while in an uncontrolled descent, about 8 miles south-southwest of Belgrade, Montana. The airplane was registered to, and operated by, Ikarus Aviation, LLC., Salt Lake City, Utah. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the non-instrument rated private pilot was killed. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the vicinity of the accident site, and no flight plan was filed. The business flight was performed under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight originated from the Ogden-Hinckley Airport (ODG), Ogden, Utah, at an undetermined time after 0500.

The accident pilot was employed as the Director of Maintenance for a fixed base operator (FBO) located at the Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), Salt Lake City. On the day prior to the accident the airplane was completely filled with fuel. About 2100, the pilot flew the airplane from SLC to ODG. He parked the airplane overnight at ODG, which was closer to his residence so as to facilitate his early morning departure the following day.

The pilot retired about 2230, and he awoke at 0450 the following morning. The pilot departed his residence shortly thereafter, drove to ODG, and took off for the business flight that was reportedly not associated with the pilot's principal employment at SLC.

The pilot planned to fly to the Gallatin Field Airport (BZN), Bozeman, Montana. Management at a BZN FBO reported that they had contracted with the pilot to perform maintenance on an aircraft at their facility. The pilot was due to arrive at BZN about 0800.

No radio communications were received from the accident pilot by the local air traffic controller who was on duty at BZN. About 0747, the local controller reported to another airplane that the weather conditions at BZN were a broken ceiling at 700 feet above ground level (agl), and an overcast condition at 1,200 feet agl. The controller informed this pilot that "IFR" (instrument flight rules) weather conditions existed at the airport. BZN's field elevation is 4,473 feet mean sea level (msl).

The accident site was found near the top of a hill, about 8.3 miles south-southwest of BZN and about 4,900 feet msl. About 0800, several persons were located with a 5-mile radius of the accident site. The National Transportation Safety Board investigator interviewed these visual and auditory witnesses. Two witnesses reported observing the accident airplane seconds prior to observing it disappear from their view, and within seconds thereafter they observed a plume of dust propagating upward. Other witnesses only heard what they described as the loud engine sound of a very low flying airplane. Witnesses reported that, at the time of their observation, there were low clouds overhead and light rain was falling.

C182 File Photo

The Safety Board investigator's examination of the accident site and wreckage revealed the airplane impacted into an open field while in a near vertical nose down attitude. Other than ground scar consistent with the size and shape of the wings, no ground scar was found circumferentially around the 5-foot-deep impact crater. The propeller assembly remained attached to the engine, and it was excavated from the bottom of the crater. The entire engine and fragmented forward cockpit were also found below ground level. The wings were at ground level, and they exhibited aft crush signatures from their leading edges to their main spars. The wings and landing gear assembly were found nearly directly on top of the crushed cockpit. All of the flight control surfaces were found with the wreckage at the site of the impact crater. There was no fire.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov