Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Neihart, Montana 59465
Monday, September 18, 1989 7:22 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE INSTRUMENT RATED COMMERCIAL PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS CRUISING AT 14,500 FEET WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED CLOUDS. HE DESCENDED TO 12,500 FEET AND THEN TO 11,000 FEET IN AN EFFORT TO AVOID THE WEATHER. HE STATED 'I DESCENDED DOWN TO ELEVEN THOUSAND AND THE TREES CAME RIGHT UP ON ME. I WAS VFR, DIDN'T FILE A FLIGHT PLAN . . .' ELEVATION OF THE CRASH SITE WAS 9175 FEET.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE. RELATED FACTORS WERE: THE HIGH TERRAIN AND ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/18/1989
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 722
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City NEIHART
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59465
Event Date Year 1989
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 727 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 297
Weather Observation Facility ID GTF
Elevation of weather observation facility 3674
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 43
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
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) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1559
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 18 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39900
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:03PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3456X
NTSB Number DEN89LA221
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20C
Aircraft Series Identifier M20C
Aircraft Serial Number 3411
Certified Max Gross Weight 2575
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FINSTER, JOHN N.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1117 HEMLOCK AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City LEWISTON
Aircraft Owner State ID
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
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 MT02
Departure City HARDIN
Departure State MT
Departure Country
Departure Time 522
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LWS
Destination City LEWISTON
Destination State ID
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --