Beech 58 Down Near Missoula Last Week

Two men escaped with relatively minor injuries when their Beech Baron 58 went down in a field near Missoula (MT). The airport was closed briefly as rescue crews responded to the accident.

It happened Monday night in dense fog, according to local authorities. The aircraft was leased by the National Forest Service from RidgeAir, Inc., a Jacksonville (TX) company. Officials said the Baron had just dropped off two pilots at the Missoula airport. Both of those remaining on board were employed by the Forest Service. The aircraft had departed Redmond (OR) and, after its stop in Missoula, was returning there, according to a spokeswoman for the Forest Service. "What I can tell you is that both people aboard were Forest Service employees and they work out of Redmond fire center," Paula Nelson said. "Their injuries appear to be minor."

Consider the pilot skilled and both men to be lucky. Perry Thomas, a nearby resident, said he heard the aircraft impact the ground. He ran toward the burning wreckage and called out. "I just yelled to see if anyone was out there," Thomas said. Two voices responded, telling him they were indeed all right. The aircraft, however, was completely destroyed.

FMI: www.faa.gov