Accident Details
On October 22, 2025, at approximately 1830 mountain daylight time, a Robinson Helicopter Co. R66, registration N67GA, sustained substantial damage when it crashed near Ekalaka, Montana. The helicopter was being operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot and three passengers were fatally injured.
Flight History
A friend of the accident pilot reported that around 1818, they departed from a private ranch south of Ekalaka as a flight of two, comprising the accident helicopter and a Cessna 182. After takeoff, the friend queried the accident pilot about his route; the pilot replied they intended to fly over the Chalk Buttes en route to Ekalaka Airport (97M). The friend adjusted his course toward the Chalk Buttes and observed the helicopter off his left side, approximately 1/8 mile in trail at an altitude comparable to the height of the buttes.
Upon entering the southwest end of the Chalk Buttes, the accident pilot transmitted that they would fly around a set of buttes to their left. The friend then saw the helicopter pass through a gap in the rocks and turn right toward the Cessna 182. The helicopter fell back to about 1/2 to 1 mile behind the friend, after which visual contact was lost. Approximately one minute later, the friend was unable to see the helicopter on ADS-B and could not establish radio contact despite multiple attempts.
Witness Accounts
A witness located about 3/4 mile southeast of the accident site reported being inside her residence when she heard the helicopter and airplane overhead. She went to a window and observed, looking north-northwest, the helicopter flying low over the buttes from left to right with the airplane following. She noted that the helicopter then began to gain altitude, and something detached from it, after which it descended out of her line of sight.
Wreckage Examination
Examination of the accident site revealed that the helicopter impacted an open field adjacent to a wooded area within the Chalk Buttes range at an elevation of 3,779 feet mean sea level. The wreckage came to rest on its left side, oriented on a heading of 093°. The debris area, located southwest of the main wreckage, spanned approximately 300 feet by 300 feet and contained fragments of Plexiglass, the left front and rear doors, tailrotor driveshaft cover, vertical and horizontal stabilizers, tailrotor, and the pilot-side GPS mount.
The wreckage was recovered to a secure location for further examination.