Accident Details
The accident occurred during a night cargo flight from Helena to Great Falls. The aircraft was on approach when it struck the ground a few miles short of the runway threshold amid poor weather conditions. The aircraft was destroyed, and the pilot, the sole occupant, was killed. Weather conditions at the time were reported to be below minimums for the approach.
Investigation Findings
The investigation determined that the accident resulted from a controlled collision with the ground on final approach. The primary cause was improper IFR operation. Several contributing factors were documented: fog reducing visibility to half a mile or less, failure to establish on the approach certification specification, excessive approach speed, excessive descent rate, and descending below the minimum descent altitude.