History of Flight
On November 28, 2014, at an undetermined time, a Cessna 170B, N3292A, impacted terrain near Alzada, Montana. The co-owner/pilot was operating the airplane under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The private pilot was fatally injured and the airplane was destroyed by impact forces. The local personal flight had departed Spearfish, South Dakota, about 1200. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.
A family concern alert notice (ALNOT) was initiated on November 29, 2014, after the pilot failed to report for work. The accident site was located by the Civil Air Patrol on November 30, 2014, at about 1130 MST.
Personnel Information
The 50-year-old pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. He held a third-class medical certificate issued on May 27, 2014, with no limitations or waivers.
An examination of the pilot's logbook indicated a total flight time of 1,580 hours. He logged 14 hours in the last 90 days, and 5 hours in the last 30 days. About 200 hours had been accumulated in the accident airplane make and model. A biennial flight review was accomplished on October 10, 2013.
A close friend of the accident pilot reported that the pilot was very conscientious and had learned to fly from a former crop duster. He was very comfortable flying low level in the local area and anything above 150 feet was too high for him to be satisfied.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was a Cessna 170B, serial number 25936. The engine was a Continental Motors Model C-145, serial number 7515-D-2-2.
The airframe logbooks were not located. Examination of the only recovered maintenance records (Engine Logbook) indicated that the last annual/100-hour inspection was complied with on September 2, 2013. Total time recorded on the engine at this time was unknown, and time since major overhaul was 1,727.9 hours. No records were recovered indicating that the airplane had an annual inspection after September 2013.
Fueling records at Westjet Air Center, Rapid City, South Dakota, established that the airplane was last fueled on November 9, 2014, with the addition of 20 gallons of 100 Low Lead-octane aviation fuel.
Meteorological Information
The closest aviation weather observation station was Baker Municipal Airport, Baker, Montana (KBHK), 69 nautical miles north of the accident site at an elevation of 2,980 feet mean sea level. An aviation routine weather report (METAR) for KBHK at 1451 MST reported: wind from 230 degrees at 10 knots; visibility 10 miles; sky clear; temperature 10 degrees Celsius; dew point -1 degrees Celsius; altimeter 29.49 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
Investigators examined the wreckage at the accident scene on December 2, 2014. There were no identified witnesses to the accident or the flight of the accident airplane.
The first identified point of contact (FIPC) was the ground crater with the main wreckage. The 50-foot debris path was along a magnetic heading of 130 degrees. The orientation of the fuselage was also 130 degrees. The wings were oriented 040/220 degrees.
The wreckage was located on the southeast side of a saddle between two peaks. The airplane was positioned in a near vertical nose-down attitude with the tail section standing vertical. The aft fuselage exhibited no indications of rotation. The aft fuselage, from the aft doorpost to the empennage, was observed accordion towards the nose of the airplane. Damage to both wings was consistent with the contour of the terrain. The right wing was observed accordion aft from the leading edge to just aft of the main spar at the wing root and from the leading edge to the aileron at the tip. The left wing was observed accordion aft from the leading edge to aft of the main spar at the wing root and from the leading edge to the aileron at the wing tip. The engine was only partly visible under the cockpit area. One propeller tip was observed under the engine. There was no fire. An odor of fuel was noticed near the left fuel tank.
Medical and Pathological Information
No autopsy was performed on the pilot. The FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicological testing of specimens of the pilot. Analysis of the specimens contained no findings for carbon monoxide, cyanide, volatiles, and tested drugs.
Tests and Research
Investigators examined the wreckage at Air Transport, Phoenix, Arizona, on March 9, 2015. Examination of the engine revealed no abnormalities that would have precluded normal operation. The engine displayed impact damage consistent with being operational at the time of impact.
Examination of the recovered airframe revealed no abnormalities that would have precluded normal operation. The airframe sustained impact damage from a vertical descent with no rotational signatures. All control surfaces were accounted for and control continuity was established for the flight controls. The complete engine and airframe examination reports are attached to the docket for this accident.