Glacier Park Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Columbia Falls, Montana 59912
Thursday, December 5, 1985 21:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT CONTACTED SNOW COVERED TERRAIN IN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT APRX 3 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF. THE PLT OBTAINED A WX BRIEFING FROM KALISPELL, MT, NWS AND UPDATED BRIEFINGS FROM MISSOULA AND GREAT FALLS, MT, FSS, FOR PROPOSED NIGHT VFR FLT TO OGDEN, UT. VFR FLT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. KALISPELL WX WAS SKY PARTIALLY OBSCURED, MEASURED CEILING 100 FT OVERCAST, VISIBILITY 2 MILES WITH FOG. THE PLT ASKED FOR A SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE TO OGDEN. THE CONTROLLER ASKED IF HE WANTED 'FLIGHT FOLLOWING ALL THE WAY.' THE PLT ANSWERED AFFIRMATIVELY. THE PLT WAS NEVER GIVEN A SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE. RADAR SHOWS THE ACFT TAKING OFF AT ABOUT 2128 MST. LAST CONTACT WAS AT 2130 MST. THE PLT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/5/1985
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2130
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City COLUMBIA FALLS
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59912
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GLACIER PARK INTL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FCA
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 300
Airport Elevation 2972
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 Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2816
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 6 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 15
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30661
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 N5637K
NTSB Number DEN86FA039
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 BEECH
Aircraft Model 35-B33
Aircraft Series Identifier 35-B33
Aircraft Serial Number CD-753
Certified Max Gross Weight 3150
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 May 10 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 239
Airframe Hours 2915
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CURTIS L. & JANICE A. BALDWIN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1161 W. 5100 S.
Aircraft Owner City RIVERDALE
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84405
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2128
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code OGD
Destination City OGDEN
Destination State UT
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 1
Runway Length 8000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --