# Accident 20080325013969A: Piper PA28181, March 25, 2008

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 25, 2008, 21:50 local time
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: DN8S
- Location: 45.1906° N, 108.5931° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.1906&lon=-108.5931&mi=10
- Aircraft: N432RM, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N432RM-2008-06-23) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: New Piper PA-28-181 (registry code 7103201, https://openairdocs.org/model/new-piper-pa-28-181) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O-360 series (registry code 41575, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28181
- Reported engine: LYC O360A4M
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 150 total, 86 in this make and model, 36 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA08LA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA08LA095) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080325013969A

## Narrative

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

(-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.

## 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 SEA08LA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA08LA095), Mar 26, 2008: Piper PA-28-181 (N432RM), Bridger, MT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot failed to maintain situational awareness during the flight. Contributing to the accident were the dark night, the pilot's failure to follow approved navigational procedures for the flight,…

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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