20100530034869A

Note: times, headings, and altitudes are approximate. On may 30, 2010, at 0845 mountain standard time (MST), Piper PA34-220T, N44MC registered to r&d aviation, registration signatory marc dobrowitzky, piloted by marc dobrowitzky, a private pilot with multiengine and instrument ratings, impacted terrain nine miles on the 295 degree radial from the Lincoln, MT airport (S69). The impact was high angle (80 degrees) and high energy. The actual flight path was extrapolated to be heading of 308 degrees true north, and the aircraft impacted on a heading of 17 degree true north. The impact site was on a slope at 6600' MSL. Four trees at the site were broken at a 60 degree angle from the aircraft striking them. The aircraft wings struck trees again at close to ground level as the fuselage struck the ground, which contained the aircraft wreckage in a small area when the aircraft came to rest. The aircraft was destroyed on impact, and both pilot and passenger were fatally injured at impact. The pilot had departed VFR. The weather conditions in the area at the time from other pilots in this group was VMC below the broken cloud layer at 7,000' to 7,500', with the ceiling in the pass 700' and turbulence in the pass, light to moderate, rough, but no altitude excursions. Temperature from Lincoln, MT raws at 0803 MDT was 43 f, dewpoint 38 f. radar weather mapping during the timeframe shows rainfall in the area. The accident pilot filed a VFR flight plan but it was not activated. The flight originated in helena, MT, (khln) for flight to cranbroooke, bc, Canada (cyxc), with the intention of flying VMC at 8,500', with Lincoln as the first aerial call in checkpoint. The accident aircraft was part of a flight of 12 aircraft organized as part of a guided tour, initiating and terminating in helena, MT, flying through Canada and Alaska. This aircraft departed at 0812 MDT, from data in the transponder radar contact, initially climbing to 9,700' at 0822, then descending to the last radar contact at 0823 MDT at 9,200'. About 0830 MDT later the pilot of the accident airplane radioed the lead aircraft (piloted by the group leader/organizer) and reported he was "5 miles to seeley lake at 8,500 feet." On a followup call querying this, the accident pilot corrected this to Lincoln. He then reported he was entering clouds at 8500' and was receiving low-altitude alert on the aircraft GPS. The lead pilot radioed him to remain VMC and maintain visual contact with the ground. Minutes later, a "garbled" radio transmission believed to be the accident pilot was followed by a radio transmission from the passenger of the accident airplane stating "we have a problem" followed by "we've hit a tree." No other radio transmissions were received.