Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Missoula International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Missoula, Montana 59801
Monday, December 22, 2003 20:00 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Shortly after take off during night instrument meteorological conditions, the second pilot, who had no previous flight time in this make and model aircraft and was the flying pilot, reported that he made a right turn from runway heading at about 400 to 500 feet above ground level to intercept the outbound radial from the VOR to accomplish the departure procedure. During the turn, a "thump" was felt and the right bank angle increased from about 25 degrees to 45 degrees. While the second pilot was attempting to correct from the increased bank angle, the aircraft at some point, entered a descent. Just before ground impact to open terrain about one mile south of the runway, the pilot-in-command took control of the aircraft to level the wings. The aircraft skipped across the open terrain for several hundred yards before coming to rest on its belly. The aircraft was consumed by fire shortly thereafter. Neither pilot could explain the loss of altitude as both believed they were in a continuous climb during the event as airspeed and pitch attitude remained constant. Neither pilot could recall if they scanned the vertical speed indicator or altimeter to verify if they were indicating a climb or descent. During the post accident inspection of the aircraft, no evidence of a mechanical failure or malfunction was found and no evidence of an in flight collision with an object was noted. At the time of the accident, low freezing fog and visibility was reported.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The second pilot's failure to maintain terrain clearance while maneuvering after takeoff. Proper climb rate not verified by the flight crew, fog, freezing fog, dark night conditions and inadequate supervision by the pilot-in-command were factors.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/22/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 2000 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Missoula |
| Event State | MONTANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 59801 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | -- |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | -- |
| Event Location Latitude | 465400N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1140543W |
| Event Location Airport | Missoula International |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | MSO |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 175 |
| Airport Elevation | 3205 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1953 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 355 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MSO |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 3205 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 100 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Obscured |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 0.75 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -3 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.32 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 15601 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Regional Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 22 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1930 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 3 2004 1:28PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Helena, Montana |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N181AM |
| NTSB Number | SEA04LA029 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | -- |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Beech |
| Aircraft Model | 58P |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | TJ-181 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 6200 |
| 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 | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Sep 30 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 70 |
| Airframe Hours | 2085 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Ridgeaire Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 3511 Silverside Rd |
| Aircraft Owner City | Wilmington |
| Aircraft Owner State | DE |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 19810 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | U.S. Forest Service |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 2141 Airport Way |
| Operator City | Boise |
| Operator State | ID |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 83705 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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) | Positioning |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | MSO |
| Departure City | Missoula |
| Departure State | MT |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 2000 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | RDM |
| Destination City | Redmond |
| Destination State | OR |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Climb - to cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | Yes |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 14 2004 4:20PM |
| User who most recently changed record | JOHB |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 11 |
| Runway Length | 9501 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |