Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bridger, Montana 59014
Thursday, October 3, 1985 9:50 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DRG A PREFLT WX BRIEFING, THE PLT WAS ADVISED THAT VFR FLT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED DUE TO FORECAST FRONTAL ACTIVITY MOVING SOUTHBOUND ALONG HIS ROUTE. SEVERE TURBULENCE & ICING HAD BEEN REPORTED JUST TO THE NORTH OF HIS COURSE. HE FILED A VFR FLT PLAN & TOOK OFF AT 0730. AT 0931, THE PLT CONTACTED ARTCC. HE SAID HE WOULD BE UNABLE TO CONTINUE VFR TO HIS DESTN &REQUESTED VECTORS TO BILLINGS, MT, TO AWAIT WX IMPROVEMENT. AT 0935, BEFORE VECTORS WERE ISSUED, THE PLT CANCELED HIS REQUEST SAYING HE WOULD NOT NEED THE VECTORS AS THERE WERE 'BIG HOLES . . . BELOW US NOW.' SHORTLY THEREAFTER, RADIO & RADAR CONTACT WERE LOST. A SEARCH WAS INITIATED, BUT THE ACFT WAS NOT LOCATED UNTIL 10 DAYS LATER. IT HAD CRASHED INTO THE WALL OF A LARGE CANYON IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN NEAR THE POINT WHERE RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. A PLT, WHO WAS DRIVING IN THE AREA, REPORTED THE SKY WAS OBSCURED WITH 1/4 MI VIS, BUT FURTHER SOUTH, THE WX IMPROVED TO UNLIMITED VIS & A CEILING OF 2000 TO 3000'. THE PLT'S LOG WAS NOT FND, BUT ON 1/26/84, HE RPRTD A TOTAL TIME OF 400 HRS ON AN APPLICATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/3/1985
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 950
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City BRIDGER
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59014
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 10
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 20
Degrees magnetic from airport 135
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
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) 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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2797
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 13 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1430
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30540
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8475H
NTSB Number FTW86MA010
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model V35
Aircraft Series Identifier V35
Aircraft Serial Number D-8236
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 Dec 10 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FOX FARM INVESTMENT
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 436
Aircraft Owner City CORVALLIS
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59828
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 6S5
Departure City HAMILTON
Departure State MT
Departure Country
Departure Time 730
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BDX
Destination City BROADUS
Destination State MT
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 --