History of Flight
On March 26, 2015, at about 1220 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-32R-301, Canadian registration C-GAUS, collided with mountainous terrain approximately 16 miles northeast of Townsend, Montana. The private pilot was fatally injured, the passenger was seriously injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to the pilot, who was operating it under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a cross-country flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed about 1200 from Great Falls International Airport (GTF), Montana, with an intended destination of Scottsdale Airport (SDL), Arizona.
According to a fueler at Springbank Airport (CYBW) near Calgary, Canada, the airplane departed from CYBW on the morning of the accident. The pilot had delayed departure due to unfavorable weather. The passenger, the pilot's wife, reported that they flew from CYBW to GTF, cleared customs, refueled, and then departed GTF for SDL.
After departing GTF, the pilot received VFR flight following from the non-radar approach control at Helena Regional Airport (HLN). The controller received several position reports as the airplane progressed southbound on the east side of HLN's Class D airspace. About 1220, the pilot reported reversing course due to clouds, stating he was "going back north." Shortly after, communications were lost. The controller advised GTF tower verbally of the return.
Radar data showed a primary target consistent with the accident airplane traveling southbound at 8,450 ft msl, climbing to about 9,500 ft over 10 minutes, then making multiple turns while climbing to 10,125 ft msl over mountainous terrain with peaks up to 9,400 ft. The last two minutes showed the target heading southbound parallel to the northern ridgeline of Mount Baldy, descending to 9,300 ft before disappearing.
The passenger stated that weather closed in, they entered clouds, the pilot turned right to exit, and she heard him radio they were turning around. She heard a computer voice say "terrain," then a partial "terr…," followed by impact with wooded, snow-covered terrain. The passenger used her cell phone to contact local authorities, reporting the crash and that the pilot was unconscious; she also reported rib injuries.
A local search and rescue airplane found the wreckage after detecting the emergency locator transmitter. Coordinates were given to a search and rescue team that reached the site at 1810, encountering severe winter weather.
Personnel Information
The 56-year-old pilot held a Canadian private pilot license with airplane single-engine land and instrument ratings, and a third-class medical certificate issued June 19, 2014, requiring glasses. He reported 628.8 total flight hours on his most recent medical application. His logbook showed an IFR check ride on December 12, 2008, when he had 600 hours total and 24 hours of actual instrument time. Almost 6 years passed before the next logbook entry on October 24, 2014. Between that date and February 22, 2015, he logged 12 flights totaling about 32 hours. The logbook showed 632 total hours, with 31 hours in the accident make and model, including 3.8 hours in the last 90 days. He logged 27 hours of actual instrument time, none in the last 90 days. His logbook indicated he did not meet the recent instrument experience requirements of Canadian Aviation Regulations Part IV Standard 421.48 for pilot-in-command in instrument meteorological conditions.
Aircraft Information
The six-seat, low-wing, retractable-gear airplane, serial number 3246191, was manufactured in 2001. The last 100-hour inspection was completed September 1, 2014, at 1,479 hours total time. The last logbook entry on February 22, 2015, showed 1,520 hours. The engine was a Lycoming IO-540-K1G5, rated at 300 horsepower. The propeller was a Hartzell three-blade adjustable-pitch. The airplane was equipped with a panel-mounted mini-iPad with terrain avoidance software providing an audible "terrain" alert near terrain.
Meteorological Information
At 1153, the automated weather observation at HLN (32 miles northwest of the accident site) reported wind from 280° at 18 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, overcast at 4,800 ft, temperature 12°C, dew point 2°C, altimeter 30.25 inches of mercury. Remarks indicated a peak wind from 280° at 29 knots at 1129.
The pilot received weather briefings from Lockheed Martin Flight Service (LMFS) by phone and electronically. He called LMFS at 1126 while on the ground at GTF. The briefing discussed weather synopsis, clouds along the route, and AIRMETs for turbulence, icing, and mountain obscuration. VFR flight was not recommended in areas of higher terrain with mountain obscuration. They also discussed gusting west wind and ceilings 4,500 to 6,000 ft AGL in the Great Falls area, and low scattered clouds from Great Falls south to Bozeman. An official briefing text package was generated at 1129 containing winds aloft, current AIRMETs, convective outlooks, area forecasts, observations, and terminal forecasts. No information mentioned mountain wave activity. AIRMETs forecast mountain obscuration due to clouds, precipitation, mist, and fog. There is no record of additional weather information retrieval.
A weather research and forecasting model simulation indicated horizontal wind speed increased about 15 knots along the flight track between 1216 and 1218, then decreased 7 to 10 knots between 1218 and 1220. The simulation indicated the flight likely encountered downdrafts of 500 to 900 feet per minute near the accident site.
Wreckage and Impact
The accident site was at 8,350 ft msl in heavily wooded, snow-covered terrain. The main wreckage came to rest at the end of a 300-ft debris field on a 20° east-northeast facing slope on a heading of about 350° magnetic. Both wings separated from the fuselage, with wreckage strewn throughout. The forward fuselage partially separated forward of the wing attachments, revealing forward cabin seats. The fuselage rested on its left side. The first identified point of contact was an evergreen tree about 25 ft tall, missing its top 2 ft. Over the next 150 ft, numerous trees were topped. The right wing tip fairing and a piece of a green navigation light lens were found about 40 ft from the first point. Portions of the right outboard wing showed accordion crushing. Inboard wing sections were found next. Near the midsection was a 10-ft wide, 20-ft long, 3-ft deep disturbed snow area. Several large trees were down. A fresh diagonal cut consistent with a propeller blade strike was on a topped tree about 6 ft above ground. The propeller assembly had separated from the engine and was found near that tree, with impact damage to two blades and the spinner crushed. All major structural components were within the debris path.
Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Medical Information
An autopsy conducted by Forensic Medicine and Pathology, PLLC, determined the cause of death as "massive blunt traumatic injuries to head, chest and left arm, when injured in plane crash into mountain." Toxicology tests by the FAA's Civil Aeromedical Institute detected no carbon monoxide, cyanide, volatiles, or drugs. Valsartan, a medication for high blood pressure and heart failure, was detected.