What happened
A multi-engine aircraft departed from the Spotted Bear-US Forest Service Airport carrying a pilot and six smoke jumpers. During the flight, while operating at a low altitude over the Flathead Indian Reserve, situated south of Kalispell, the aircraft experienced a simultaneous loss of power across all three engines.
Following the engine failure, the aircraft entered a stall and impacted a wooded region. The impact resulted in 7 injuries among the occupants. While no fatalities were reported, the three-engine aircraft sustained damage that rendered it a total loss.
Findings
The investigation determined that the primary factor leading to the accident was the simultaneous failure of all three engines during the flight phase.