# Accident 20071007823889A: Cessna 310N, Ekalaka, MT, October 7, 2007

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 7, 2007, 11:50 local time
- Place: Ekalaka, MT
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.6858° N, 104.7503° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.6858&lon=-104.7503&mi=10
- Aircraft: N85WT, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N85WT-2008-04-25) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 310N (registry code 2074234, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-310n) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental I0-470 series (registry code 17027, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-i0-470-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 310N
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 650 total, 0 in this make and model, 0 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA08FA006](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA08FA006) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20071007823889A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB SEA08FA006](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA08FA006), Oct 7, 2007: Cessna 310N (N85WT), Ekalaka, MT, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's improper in-flight planning/decision, his continued flight into adverse weather (icing conditions), and failure to maintain an adequate airspeed during the emergency descent for landing.…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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