What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On March 25, 2008 about 2150 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA28-181, N432RM, was destroyed when the aircraft impacted the ground during a training flight originating in kbil, billings, MT, going to poy, powell, WY. The aircraft was approximately 15 degrees off course at the point of impact. The private pilot was bruised and received minor injuries, a cut on the top of the head and a cut on the left hand, both requiring a few stitches. The pilot exited the aircraft under his own power. The aircraft was registered to rocky mountain college. The pilot was operating under 14 CFR 91 for vfr/vmc night flight training. Night visual meteorological conditions were forecast. The pilot stated 45 minutes into the flight snow mixed with rain was encountered. He consulted the charts to determine location, and chose to make a left turn to exit the encountered weather conditions. Shortly after entering a standard rate turn, two terrain alerts came up on the gns 430. The pilot, thinking they were erroneous, cancelled both. When the third warning, a red xx for imminent terrain came on, he immediately pulled up. Shortly after pull up the aircraft impacted trees then hit terrain.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MARCH 25, 2008 ABOUT 2150 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA28-181, N432RM, WAS DESTROYED WHEN THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND DURING A TRAINING FLIGHT ORIGINATING IN KBIL, BILLINGS, MT, GOING TO POY, POWELL, WY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY 15 DEGREES OFF COURSE AT THE POINT OF IMPACT. THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS BRUISED AND RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES, A CUT ON THE TOP OF THE HEAD AND A CUT ON THE LEFT HAND, BOTH REQUIRING A FEW STITCHES. THE PILOT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT UNDER HIS OWN POWER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REGISTERED TO ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE. THE PILOT WAS OPERATING UNDER 14 CFR 91 FOR VFR/VMC NIGHT FLIGHT TRAINING. NIGHT VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WERE FORECAST. THE PILOT STATED 45 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT SNOW MIXED WITH RAIN WAS ENCOUNTERED. HE CONSULTED THE CHARTS TO DETERMINE LOCATION, AND CHOSE TO MAKE A LEFT TURN TO EXIT THE ENCOUNTERED WEATHER CONDITIONS. SHORTLY AFTER ENTERING A STANDARD RATE TURN, TWO TERRAIN ALERTS CAME UP ON THE GNS 430. THE PILOT, THINKING THEY WERE ERRONEOUS, CANCELLED BOTH. WHEN THE THIRD WARNING, A RED XX FOR IMMINENT TERRAIN CAME ON, HE IMMEDIATELY PULLED UP. SHORTLY AFTER PULL UP THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TREES THEN HIT TERRAIN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.