Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lincoln, Montana 59639
Sunday, September 29, 1991 19:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED FLYING AT A LOW ALTITUDE AGL, FOLLOWING A ROAD INTO A MOUNTAIN PASS THAT WAS OBSCURED IN CLOUDS AND FOG. THE ACFT IMPACTED STEEP UPSLOPING TERRAIN ON A MOUNTAIN PEAK NEAR THE CREST OF THE MOUNTAIN CHAIN, 3 MILES FROM THE ROAD SUMMIT THROUGH THE PASS. EVIDENCE ON THE WRECKAGE INDICATED THE EXTERIOR OF THE ACFT WAS WET WHEN IT IMPACTED THE GROUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT TO CONTINUE VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC CONDITIONS. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN IN THE AREA, AND THE LOW CEILINGS AND CLOUDS OBSCURING THE MOUNTAINS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/29/1991
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1900
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City LINCOLN
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59639
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 9
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1850 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 35
Weather Observation Facility ID GTF
Elevation of weather observation facility 3674
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 46
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 879
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45189
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:45AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N759SN
NTSB Number SEA91FA258
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182Q
Aircraft Series Identifier 182Q
Aircraft Serial Number 18266224
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 9 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 26
Airframe Hours 1921
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES A. GOTTFRIED
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 879
Aircraft Owner City FT. BENTON
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59442
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JAMES A. GOTTFRIED
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 879
Operator City FT. BENTON
Operator State MT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 59442
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 52S
Departure City ST IGNATIUS
Departure State MT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1815
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 79S
Destination City FT BENTON
Destination State MT
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --