Missoula Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Missoula, Montana 59802
Wednesday, March 18, 1987 21:40 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT OF THE PIPER NAVAJO WAS TAXIING TO THE ACTIVE RWY FOR AN IFR DEPARTURE, DIRECTED HIS ATTENTION TO THE DEPARTURE PROCEDURE CHART IN THE COCKPIT, AND COLLIDED WITH THE TAIL OF A SWEARINGEN ACFT HOLDING SHORT OF THE RWY AWAITING TAKEOFF CLEARANCE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/18/1987
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2140
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City MISSOULA
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59802
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MISSOULA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MSO
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 3201
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2148 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID MSO
Elevation of weather observation facility 3201
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 1600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 0
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 10
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 275
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 18 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2210
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 33263
Date of most recent change to record Apr 7 2001 12:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N3529W N124AV
NTSB Number DEN87LA067A DEN87LA067B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Minor Substantial
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER SWEARINGEN
Aircraft Model PA-31-350 SA-226TC
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-31-350 SA-226TC
Aircraft Serial Number 317952159 TC364
Certified Max Gross Weight 7000 12500
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2 22
Number of Engines 2 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Feb 17 1987 12:00AM Mar 9 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 83 47
Airframe Hours 3166 11493
ELT Installed Yes Yes
ELT Activated No No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name BIGHORN AIRWAYS ITT INDUSTRIAL CREDIT COMPANY
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 4037 P.O. BOX 43777
Aircraft Owner City SHERIDAN ST. PAUL
Aircraft Owner State WY MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 82801 55164
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name BIGHORN AIRWAYS, INC. BIG SKY AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No No
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No No
Operator Street Address BOX 4037 P. O. BOX 31397
Operator City SHERIDAN BILLINGS
Operator State WY MT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 82801 59107
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown Unknown
Operator Certificate Number -- --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No No
Departure Airport Code MSO MSO
Departure City MISSOULA MISSOULA
Departure State MT MT
Departure Country
Departure Time 0 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt -- --
Destination Airport Code HLN GTF
Destination City HELENA GREAT FALLS
Destination State MT MT
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi Standing
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0 0
Runway Length -- --
Runway Width -- --
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --