History of Flight
On August 19, 2015, about 2230 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172P, registration N62731, was substantially damaged after colliding with mountainous terrain near Townsend, Montana. The private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The flight originated from Helena Regional Airport (HLN) about 2215 and was destined for White Sulphur Springs Airport (7S6), White Sulphur Springs, Montana.
According to the pilot's wife, her husband departed 7S6 for HLN about 2000 to pick up a friend who was scheduled to arrive on a commercial flight at 2100. He landed approximately 45 minutes later, picked up the passenger, and called his wife at 2211 before departing on the accident flight.
The following morning, Salt Lake Center recorded an emergency locator transmitter signal near Bozeman, Montana, which was also picked up by a low-flying aircraft. The pilot's flight instructor, who was the Chief of Safety for the Montana Department of Aeronautics, initiated an aerial search and located the airplane about 0830.
The accident pilot's wife reported that her husband had flown from 7S6 to HLN twice on the day of the accident. During the first trip, he collected belongings from Helena and returned to their home in White Sulphur Springs. She had driven to HLN to help transport items that would not fit on the airplane, then returned to White Sulphur Springs as her husband prepared for his second trip to pick up his friend.
Personnel Information
A review of the pilot's logbook revealed a total of 280 flight hours at the time of the accident, about 277 of which were in the accident airplane make and model. He had accrued 3.8 hours of total night flight experience; 3 hours were completed with an instructor in October 2013, and 0.8 hours over two separate flights without an instructor. The first solo night flight took place in December 2014 (0.4 hours), and another about one month before the accident (0.4 hours), both consisting of 3-4 landings in the airport traffic pattern. According to his flight instructor, they completed one instructional cross-country night flight from Helena to Bozeman, and a second instructional night flight with 12 landings at a local airport with no cross-country time. The last logbook entry showed a flight from 7S6 to HLN on August 19, 2015.
The pilot began flight lessons in April 2013 in a Cessna 172M until he purchased the accident airplane later that year. In September 2014, his flight instructor endorsed him to fly solo between 7S6 and HLN. The instructor stated that the pilot's upset recovery abilities and aeronautical decision making were "typical of someone starting in their late 50's."
Records from the Federal Aviation Administration indicated that the pilot was unsuccessful during his initial private pilot check ride. The designated pilot examiner noted that the pilot did not demonstrate adequate pilotage, deviated from his assigned course by approximately 7 nautical miles, and was unable to identify multiple terrain features. He subsequently completed two instructional flights with navigation practice to prepare for the follow-up examination.
A 72-hour history constructed from an interview with the pilot's wife indicated that on Sunday, August 16, he attended church and completed house activities. Over the next two days, he attended gatherings at a local café for coffee and performed community work. His wife observed no abnormalities in his behavior or sleep patterns on the accident day or the preceding three days. She reported flying with him between 7S6 and HLN about four times; they typically flew over the mountain range but circumvented the mountains if clouds were "too low."
Aircraft Information
According to FAA records, the airplane was manufactured in 1982 and registered to the pilot and his wife on July 26, 2013. It was powered by a Lycoming O-320-D2J engine (160 hp). A maintenance history was constructed from work orders provided by the maintenance facility, as logbooks were not recovered. The most recent annual inspection was completed on June 25, 2015, with a tachometer reading of 9,056.6 flight hours. The tachometer was found near the wreckage but could not be read due to damage.
Refueling records from the 7S6 airport manager showed the pilot purchased 13.6 gallons of 100 low lead fuel on August 13, 2015, at a self-service pump. The pilot noted "fuel" in his logbook but did not include total fuel quantity; thus, fuel quantity for the accident flight could not be computed.
Meteorological Information
An NTSB Meteorological study reported the 2253 observation at HLN: wind 250° at 7 knots, visibility 4 statute miles, haze, overcast ceiling at 4,100 feet agl, temperature 22°C, dew point 5°C, altimeter 29.86 inHg. A Terminal Aerodrome Forecast for HLN issued at 1908 forecast visibility 4 statute miles, haze, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet agl. An Area Forecast at 2045 from the Aviation Weather Center forecast broken smoke layer at 8,000 feet with visibility occasionally 3-5 statute miles in smoke and haze. A Smoke Text Product reported heavy smoke over parts of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana, with moderate density smoke farther east into Central Montana. An AIRMET advisory at 2045 warned of mountain obscuration due to smoke and haze in the region including the accident site. The moon was a waxing crescent with 22% illumination; moonset at Townsend was 2243. A witness reported visibility at 7S6 about 2 statute miles and the sky "pitch black." The pilot did not file a flight plan or request a weather briefing.
Airport Information
Not applicable beyond what is stated.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane impacted mountainous terrain on the rising face of a ridge at elevation 5,046 feet. All four corners were accounted for. A debris path about 100 feet long by 80 feet wide was oriented on a 351° magnetic heading. The initial impact point (IIP) was identified by a broken green position light and silver colored signatures on a rock face. The main wreckage (cockpit, fuselage, empennage) was about 70 feet beyond the IIP. A local sheriff detected an odor resembling fuel.
The right wing outboard section was 30 feet below the IIP. The leading edge had compressive damage. The right wing fuel tank was breached and void of fuel. The flap jackscrew measured 2.9 inches, consistent with 10° deployment. The left wing was near the main wreckage with skin pulled back; the left fuel tank was also breached and void of fuel. Control cables were traced; aileron cables had separated at wing roots with tensile overload signatures. The empennage remained attached by a piece of skin. The elevators were attached but torque tubes had separated in tensile overload. The elevator trim tab measured 1.15 inches, indicating a 5° tab-down position. The fuel selector handle rotated successfully. The attitude indicator exhibited scoring on the gyro circumference, indicating rotation at impact.
Both propeller blades were recovered. One blade had chordwise scratches, gouges, s-bending, and tip curling; the other had separated at the tip and root. The crankcase had an 8-inch hole between cylinders three and four; the crankshaft was seized. Drive-train continuity was confirmed visually. Cylinders showed normal operating signatures. The right magneto produced spark; the left was destroyed. Spark plugs were normal. The carburetor was destroyed. The vacuum pump had separated and its rotor was broken.
Additional Information
An NTSB Safety Alert published January 2008 provided guidance on terrain familiarization, night VFR operations, and mountain flying. The FAA Aeronautical Information Manual contained advisory information on mountain obscuration and night VFR in mountainous terrain.
Communications
No audio for the pilot's departure was available as HLN tower closed at 2000. Radar data from Salt Lake Center did not show the accident airplane.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy performed by the Montana Department of Justice listed the pilot's cause of death as "multiple blunt force injuries." Forensic toxicology testing by the FAA Bioaeronautical Science Research Laboratory did not detect ethanol in the pilot's muscle or drugs in the pilot's urine.