Cessna 182C Terrain Collision Near Circle, Montana (N8721T)

Accident Overview and Flight History On April 6, 2013, at approximately 1045 MDT, a Cessna 182C, registration N8721T, struck terrain 27 miles northwest of Circle, Montana. The private pilot sustained fatal injuries, and the aircraft was destroyed. The aircraft was registered to Prarie Sky Inc and was being operated by the pilot as a personal flight under 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The flight departed from a private ranch airstrip located about 10 miles east of Lustre, Montana, at approximately 1030 MDT in visual meteorological conditions, with a destination of a private airstrip in Acton, Montana. Before departure, the pilot informed his wife by phone that the morning was foggy but improving, with visibility increasing to 5 miles and weather expected to improve further south. At 1045 MDT, while near Wolf Point, Montana, the pilot made an airborne mobile phone call to his wife. Just before the connection was dropped, he reported fog “just over the river” but clear conditions on the other side. At 1430 MDT, concerned family members reported to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that the aircraft had not arrived at its intended destination. The wreckage was located at approximately 1830 MDT, 27 miles northwest of Circle. There were no witnesses to the accident, and no distress call was reported. Initial examination of the wreckage revealed damage and ground scars consistent with a high-energy vertical impact.