Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Winston, Montana 59635
Monday, January 6, 1997 20:26 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

An ATC controller observed the night IFR flight with the 68-year old pilot deviating south of course then correcting back a little bit before deviating south again. The deviations were as much as 90 degrees, and altitude varied by about 14,400 feet MSL down to 14,000 feet MSL. Then, approximately 10 southeast of Helena, Montana, radar contact was lost in an area of normally good radar coverage. The airplane sustained an in-flight breakup before impacting in hilly terrain. The flight had been cleared to climb to 12,000 feet at 1936; at 2006 the controlller noted that 'I don't know where he's going...he's all over the place....' During on-scene investigation, it was determined that the portable oxygen bottle being carried in the airplane was not being used by the pilot. The pilot was known to fly at altitudes above 12,500 feet, and as high as 17,000 feet, without using oxygen. An autopsy of the pilot revealed atherosclerosis of coronary arteries with 90% stenosis of left anterior descending coronary artery and 90% stenosis of right coronary artery, as well as multiple blunt force injuries.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Pilot incapacitation due to hypoxia. Failure of the pilot to use available oxygen is a factor.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/6/1997
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 2026
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City WINSTON
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59635
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1956 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID HLN
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 4600
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -5
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 671
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 6 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2047
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:06PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9080P
NTSB Number SEA97FA044
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-24-260
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-24-260
Aircraft Serial Number 24-4550
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 21 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 76
Airframe Hours 3776
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAVA AIR, LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1050 GRAPE AVE
Aircraft Owner City BOULDER
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80304
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DAKOTA RIDGE AVIATION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3300 AIRPORT ROAD
Operator City BOULDER
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80301
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BIL
Departure City BILLINGS
Departure State MT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1908
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SFF
Destination City SPOKANE
Destination State WA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --