On October 2, 2004, a Cessna 150G (registration N3086R) operated by Terry Gollehon was involved in an aviation accident near Augusta, MT. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate obstacle clearance which resulted in the in-flight collision with rising terrain. Trees and rising terrain are factors in the accident. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot reported the airplane struck trees and rising terrain after departing from Runway 12 at Benchmark Airport, with no mechanical malfunctions found.
Accident Summary
Shortly after takeoff, the airplane collided with trees and rising terrain. According to a written statement from the pilot, the accident occurred following departure from Runway 12. The pilot reported that the airplane cleared trees approximately 50 feet in height at the end of the departure runway but subsequently made contact with multiple trees and rising terrain beyond the runway's departure end.
Pilot Statement
The pilot stated, "we hit trees for 150 yards before slowing enough to hit the ground." The report indicated no mechanical malfunctions or failures that may have contributed to the accident.
Airport Information
The published airport elevation for Benchmark is 5,434 feet MSL.