Non-Instrument Pilot Was Killed August 30th Flying In Reported
Instrument Conditions
Preliminary information released by the NTSB in an accident
which occurred in Montana late last month indicated that the pilot
of the Cessna 182 was operating his aircraft in weather conditions
for which he was not rated. He was the only person on board the
airplane at the time of the accident.
NTSB Identification: WPR10FA438
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, August 30, 2010 in Belgrade, MT
Aircraft: CESSNA 182C, registration: N8957T
Injuries: 1 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may
contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when
the final report has been completed.
On August 30, 2010, about 0756 MDT, a Cessna 182C, N8957T,
impacted hilly terrain while in an uncontrolled descent, about 8
miles south-southwest of Belgrade, Montana. The airplane was
registered to, and operated by, Ikarus Aviation, LLC., Salt Lake
City, Utah. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the
non-instrument rated private pilot was killed. Instrument
meteorological conditions prevailed in the vicinity of the accident
site, and no flight plan was filed. The business flight was
performed under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations
Part 91. The flight originated from the Ogden-Hinckley Airport
(ODG), Ogden, Utah, at an undetermined time after 0500.
The accident pilot was employed as the Director of Maintenance
for a fixed base operator (FBO) located at the Salt Lake City
International Airport (SLC), Salt Lake City. On the day prior to
the accident the airplane was completely filled with fuel. About
2100, the pilot flew the airplane from SLC to ODG. He parked the
airplane overnight at ODG, which was closer to his residence so as
to facilitate his early morning departure the following day.
The pilot retired about 2230, and he awoke at 0450 the following
morning. The pilot departed his residence shortly thereafter, drove
to ODG, and took off for the business flight that was reportedly
not associated with the pilot's principal employment at SLC.
The pilot planned to fly to the Gallatin Field Airport (BZN),
Bozeman, Montana. Management at a BZN FBO reported that they had
contracted with the pilot to perform maintenance on an aircraft at
their facility. The pilot was due to arrive at BZN about 0800.
No radio communications were received from the accident pilot by
the local air traffic controller who was on duty at BZN. About
0747, the local controller reported to another airplane that the
weather conditions at BZN were a broken ceiling at 700 feet above
ground level (agl), and an overcast condition at 1,200 feet agl.
The controller informed this pilot that "IFR" (instrument flight
rules) weather conditions existed at the airport. BZN's field
elevation is 4,473 feet mean sea level (msl).
The accident site was found near the top of a hill, about 8.3
miles south-southwest of BZN and about 4,900 feet msl. About 0800,
several persons were located with a 5-mile radius of the accident
site. The National Transportation Safety Board investigator
interviewed these visual and auditory witnesses. Two witnesses
reported observing the accident airplane seconds prior to observing
it disappear from their view, and within seconds thereafter they
observed a plume of dust propagating upward. Other witnesses only
heard what they described as the loud engine sound of a very low
flying airplane. Witnesses reported that, at the time of their
observation, there were low clouds overhead and light rain was
falling.
C182 File Photo
The Safety Board investigator's examination of the accident site
and wreckage revealed the airplane impacted into an open field
while in a near vertical nose down attitude. Other than ground scar
consistent with the size and shape of the wings, no ground scar was
found circumferentially around the 5-foot-deep impact crater. The
propeller assembly remained attached to the engine, and it was
excavated from the bottom of the crater. The entire engine and
fragmented forward cockpit were also found below ground level. The
wings were at ground level, and they exhibited aft crush signatures
from their leading edges to their main spars. The wings and landing
gear assembly were found nearly directly on top of the crushed
cockpit. All of the flight control surfaces were found with the
wreckage at the site of the impact crater. There was no fire.