14 fatalities

22 Mar 2009: PILATUS PC-12/45 (N128CM) — Eagle Cap Leasing, Inc. — Butte, MT

Butte, MT, United States

On 22 Mar 2009, a PILATUS PC-12/45 (registration N128CM) operated by Eagle Cap Leasing, Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Butte, MT. 14 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: (1) the pilot's failure to ensure that a fuel system icing inhibitor was added to the fuel before the flights on the day of the accident; (2) his failure to take appropriate remedial actions after a low fuel pressure state (resulting from icing within the… This summary draws on records from NTSB; 7 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

On March 22, 2009, a Pilatus PC-12/45 diverted to Bert Mooney Airport crashed west of runway 33, resulting in fatal injuries to all 14 onboard and substantial damage.

Accident Overview

On March 22, 2009, at about 1432 mountain daylight time, a Pilatus PC-12/45, registration N128CM, crashed during a diversion to Bert Mooney Airport (BTM) in Butte, Montana. The accident site was located approximately 2,100 feet west of runway 33 at BTM. The pilot and all 13 passengers sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged by impact forces and a postcrash fire.

Flight Details

The airplane was owned by Eagle Cap Leasing of Enterprise, Oregon, and was operating as a personal flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight had departed Oroville Municipal Airport in Oroville, California, on an instrument flight rules flight plan with a destination of Gallatin Field in Bozeman, Montana. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.

Aircraft Information

The accident aircraft was a Pilatus PC-12/45, a single-engine turboprop airplane. No additional details about the aircraft's maintenance or history were provided in the source.

Investigation

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigated the accident. The full report is available in NTSB/AAR-11-05. The probable cause of the accident was not stated in the source material.

Contributing factors

PilotPerformance/control parameters — Not attained/maintainedFuel additivePlacards and markingsIndicating/recording systemsIncorrect use/operation