History of Flight
On March 25, 2008, at about 2124 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-28-181, registration N432RM, collided with terrain approximately 17 miles southeast of Bridger, Montana. The flight was operated by Rocky Mountain College under 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot, the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was filed for the roundtrip flight. The pilot departed from Billings Logan International Airport.
The pilot was conducting a night cross-country flight in preparation for a commercial pilot certificate. The emergency locator transmitter (ELT) was recorded at 2152. When the pilot did not return, an Alert Notice (ALNOT) was issued at 0157 on March 26. A ground and aerial search located the pilot the following morning; he was rescued by a search and rescue helicopter in the Pryor Mountains, Custer National Forest. The accident site elevation was about 7,400 feet msl; the highest point in the area was 8,646 feet msl.
The pilot planned to fly from Billings to Powell, Wyoming, using VFR navigational procedures. His planned route was west of Billings then south over a highway. The Pryor Mountains were approximately 12 miles east of the planned route.
Personnel Information
The 18-year-old pilot was a student at Rocky Mountain College. He had completed an instrument rating several weeks prior and was working toward a commercial certificate, which required a solo night cross-country flight.
The pilot reported that after takeoff, he was given a heading of 130 degrees. Once clear of Billings airspace, he was told to maintain VFR. He opened his VFR flight plan and entered a direct GPS course to Powell Municipal Airport. He manually entered a course of about 192 degrees, which he recalled as his calculated true course. He had calculated a magnetic course using a magnetic variation of 13 to 14 degrees east but did not enter it. He did not verify ground checkpoints. During the flight, he encountered rain and snow, could not see ground lights, and decided to turn around.
While turning left in a standard rate turn, the two Garmin 430 GPS units flashed a warning. The pilot pushed "enter" to view a message and saw the airplane was close to terrain. He pulled up and added power, then lost consciousness. Until entering instrument conditions, he had used the autopilot.
Upon regaining consciousness, the pilot unbuckled, turned off electrical systems, and activated the ELT. He attempted to climb uphill in snow but sank to his neck. He returned to the airplane, donned hat and gloves, inventoried survival kit (including flares), and used space blankets to stay warm in the cockpit. During the night, he moved to the tail section and shot off flares.
In the morning, he heard search aircraft, hiked to a hilltop, called his CFI via cell phone, and used an orange tarp to increase visibility. A rescue helicopter signaled him to a clearing where they landed and picked him up.
The airplane was equipped with Avidyne Entegra MFD and PFD, and two Garmin 430 GPS units. The MFD was set to the engine page, not displaying terrain. The pilot reported all systems operated normally.
The pilot began flight training in Washington, obtaining his private certificate. He started at Rocky Mountain College in September 2007 and earned his instrument rating several weeks before the accident. Most of his Montana flight time was instrument work.
According to the pilot's CFI, he had flown four flights since the instrument rating: a VFR day dual cross-country to Bozeman, a dual local night flight, and a local night solo flight of 2.1 hours. The pilot originally planned the flight for Monday but moved it to Tuesday due to weather. The CFI considered joining but decided to send him solo. She reviewed his flight plan and weather with him at the airport. The pilot planned checkpoints; the CFI verified they would be visible at night. The flight was to use pilotage and dead reckoning, not VOR or autopilot, with limited GPS use.
The planned route was to Powell and back to Billings. Total planned flight time was 2.9 hours. The CFI asked the pilot to call upon return.
Meteorological Information
The pilot obtained a weather briefing from Lockheed Martin Denver AFSS. VFR conditions were forecast along the route. The AFSS specialist noted that the Montana portion showed no weather, while Wyoming had isolated showers and AIRMETS for icing and mountain obscuration.
Communications
Billings Tower gave the pilot a departure heading of 130 degrees. He then contacted Billings departure and was cleared to resume own navigation. Between 2102 and 2105, he contacted Flight Watch on 122.00 to open his flight plan. The specialist noted he was on the wrong frequency but helped open it, advising that future openings should go to Great Falls radio. The specialist asked if the pilot was aware of the AIRMET for mountain obscuration; the pilot said yes.
Tests and Research
Restraint System: Examination of the pilot's shoulder harness attachment fitting showed all connections were consistent with overstress separations; no material defects were found.
Cockpit Displays: The Avidyne PFD and MFD were examined. Recorded data showed the airplane flew at 7,500 feet pressure altitude. Powell was set as the next waypoint, desired course about 192 degrees. Magnetic heading changed from 130 degrees to about 185 degrees, then to 155 degrees from 2107 to 2114, and to about 195 degrees from 2114 until impact. No operational anomalies were noted.
Additional Information
Training: According to Rocky Mountain College, the flight was to be flown using pilotage and dead reckoning with supporting GPS use. GPS use is taught in VFR navigation courses. In instrument ground school, students learn to intercept procedure courses using magnetic courses. The pilot's method of loading the desired course was consistent with an instrument procedure, except he entered a true course instead of magnetic. In that procedure, students highlight a waypoint and press "Direct," then manually set the desired course. All examples used instrument flying techniques; no VFR GPS use or direct-to-airport on a specific course was demonstrated.
In January 2008, the pilot attended the Montana Department of Transportation Aeronautics Division Winter Survival Clinic.