On May 21, 1992, a Cessna 177B (registration N30922) operated by Fayler, Lawrence R. was involved in an aviation accident near St. Ignatius, MT. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S INADVERTENTLY ALLOWING THE AIRCRAFT TO ENTER INTO A STALL/SPIN. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: TERRAIN CONDITION, RISING TERRAIN, AND THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aircraft impacted mountainous terrain at 7,500 feet in a near-vertical attitude. Wreckage came to rest 45 feet downslope. No evidence of powerplant or control malfunction. Pilot had no documented mountain flight experience.
Accident Site
The accident was located at the 7,500 foot level within mountainous terrain. The specific site was a draw that sloped uphill at a gradient of +15 degrees to the west. The accident site was examined by investigators.
Impact and Wreckage
An on-site examination indicated that the aircraft impacted the ground in a near-vertical attitude. The wreckage came to rest approximately 45 feet east-southeast of the impact point, downslope from the initial contact.
Examination Findings
The examination found no evidence of powerplant malfunction. Additionally, there was no evidence of control malfunction.
Pilot Logbook Review
A review of the pilot's logbook revealed that the pilot had no previous flight experience within the state of Montana. The logbook also contained no documented mountain flight experience.