What happened
The pilot had borrowed the aircraft to transport a musical group to Kalispell for a private engagement at Lakeside, Montana, located approximately 15 miles south of the airport. That evening, the group boarded the aircraft for the return flight. After takeoff, witnesses observed the aircraft flying at low altitude in the vicinity where the musical group had performed.
The aircraft was seen at a very low altitude when it entered an abrupt climb. It then appeared to go into a wingover or hammerhead stall type of maneuver and reversed direction. However, before recovering from the ensuing dive, the aircraft crashed on wooded terrain. Witnesses reported that the engines appeared to be running normally prior to the crash.
The investigation
A post-accident test of the pilot's blood showed a slight amount of alcohol; however, there were indications this was due to putrefaction rather than ingestion prior to the flight.