Gallatin Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bozeman, Montana 59715
Saturday, November 25, 1995 15:54 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight was on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan and had been cleared by air traffic control (ATC) for an instrument landing system (ILS) approach. The aircraft owner, along with the flight instructor, who completed the pilot's instrument training as well as his checkout in the accident aircraft, stated that they had instructed the pilot not to fly the accident aircraft in IFR conditions. The airplane was flown at an altitude of 13,000 feet for 32 minutes before commencing the approach, and it was not equipped with supplemental oxygen or cabin pressurization. The pilot failed to follow the specified ground track for the approach, and the airplane impacted mountainous terrain about 13-1/2 nautical miles north-northeast of the airport in heavy snow conditions. The accident site was approximately 15-1/2 nautical miles beyond the point where a turn onto the localizer was specified on the approach procedure. The airport did not have a control tower or approach control radar, and the airplane was not in radar contact with ATC at the time of the accident. A hunter near the accident site saw an airplane fly over his position at low altitude in heavy snowfall. He heard a loud metallic 'clank' about 20 to 30 seconds after the airplane disappeared from his view. Also, he noted the time on his watch, which corresponded to the estimated time of the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

failure of the pilot to follow the specified approach track (proper IFR procedure), and his associated failure to maintain altitude or clearance from mountainous terrain. Factors relating to the accident were: the pilot's failure to abide by the aircraft owner's (dispatch) procedures, heavy snowfall, mountainous terrain, and possible pilot impairment from altitude hypoxia.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/25/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1554
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City BOZEMAN
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59715
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GALLATIN FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BZN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 16
Degrees magnetic from airport 3
Airport Elevation 4474
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1556 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 183
Weather Observation Facility ID BZN
Elevation of weather observation facility 4474
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 4259
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2074
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 26 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1455
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3729T
NTSB Number SEA96FA024
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model C24R
Aircraft Series Identifier C24R
Aircraft Serial Number MC-737
Certified Max Gross Weight 2750
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 7 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 40
Airframe Hours 3311
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FIRST NATIONAL INSURANCE
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1108
Aircraft Owner City DILLON
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59725
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LWS
Departure City LEWISTON
Departure State ID
Departure Country
Departure Time 1258
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code BZN
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 12
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --