What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The flight departed bozeman, MT (kbzn) at 1002 MDT on an IFR flight plan with the intended destination of baraboo, WI. IMC conditions prevailed for portions of the flight; however, VMC conditions prevailed at the accident site. The pilot communicated, in part, the following to ATC: 1134, level at 13,000 feet, in icing conditions, requesting 11,000; 1137, still in ice, request lower; 1145, still in icing conditions, going down, staying on course; 1147, heading for the airport. At 1148, a radio transmission, believed to be from the accident aircraft, was received indicating problems, "recovery" from a situation, and then engine problems and going down. Aircraft impacted slightly upsloping, open terrain in an approx. 9 degree nose-down, wings level attitude on a bearing of 233 degrees, 2 miles west of the laird ranch airport. The pilot and only passenger aboard received fatal injuries. Eyewitnesses stated aircraft was flying low, made slight left turn, and descended gradually until ground contact in a slight nose-down attitude. At 1151, the carter county sheriff's office received reports of a downed aircraft in the area of the laird ranch airport, Ekalaka, Montana.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE FLIGHT DEPARTED BOZEMAN, MT (KBZN) AT 1002 MDT ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WITH THE INTENDED DESTINATION OF BARABOO, WI. IMC CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR PORTIONS OF THE FLIGHT; HOWEVER, VMC CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE PILOT COMMUNICATED, IN PART, THE FOLLOWING TO ATC: 1134, LEVEL AT 13,000 FEET, IN ICING CONDITIONS, REQUESTING 11,000; 1137, STILL IN ICE, REQUEST LOWER; 1145, STILL IN ICING CONDITIONS, GOING DOWN, STAYING ON COURSE; 1147, HEADING FOR THE AIRPORT. AT 1148, A RADIO TRANSMISSION, BELIEVED TO BE FROM THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT, WAS RECEIVED INDICATING PROBLEMS, "RECOVERY" FROM A SITUATION, AND THEN ENGINE PROBLEMS AND GOING DOWN. AIRCRAFT IMPACTED SLIGHTLY UPSLOPING, OPEN TERRAIN IN AN APPROX. 9 DEGREE NOSE-DOWN, WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE ON A BEARING OF 233 DEGREES, 2 MILES WEST OF THE LAIRD RANCH AIRPORT. THE PILOT AND ONLY PASSENGER ABOARD RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. EYEWITNESSES STATED AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING LOW, MADE SLIGHT LEFT TURN, AND DESCENDED GRADUALLY UNTIL GROUND CONTACT IN A SLIGHT NOSE-DOWN ATTITUDE. AT 1151, THE CARTER COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE RECEIVED REPORTS OF A DOWNED AIRCRAFT IN THE AREA OF THE LAIRD RANCH AIRPORT, EKALAKA, MONTANA.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.