What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On December 19, 2012, at 0002 MST, a twin engine Beechcraft king air model B-100, N499SW, registered to stinger welding, inc, crashed into mountainous terrain at night 2.5 miles northeast of Libby, Montana (S59) while on a business flight. Night time visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. An IFR flight plan was filed. The FAA reported that the pilot had been cleared for the gps-a instrument approach procedure for the Libby airport. The clearance had a crossing restriction of 10,700 feet at the pacce intersection, which was the initial approch fix for the gps-a approach. The pilot acknowledged that clearance at 2353. At 2359, the airplane target was about 7 miles south of the airport; the pilot reported the airport in sight, and cancelled the IFR flight plan. The aircraft was destroyed on impact and the non-certificated pilot, the owner and ceo of stinger welding along with a non-pilot employee were killed on impact. The flight originated in coolidge, AZ (P08) on December 18, 2012. The pilot/owner of the aircraft held no pilot certificates or appropriate ratingsand did not have a valid medical. The last certificate held was a student pilots certificate that expired in June of 2012. A student pilot certificate was applied for on 10/17/2012 but issuance was deferred. The previously issued student pilot certificate noted to be color deficient and was issued a class 3, special restriction-not valid for night flying or by color signal.
As the FAA filed it
ON DECEMBER 19, 2012, AT 0002 MST, A TWIN ENGINE BEECHCRAFT KING AIR MODEL B-100, N499SW, REGISTERED TO STINGER WELDING, INC, CRASHED INTO MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT NIGHT 2.5 MILES NORTHEAST OF LIBBY, MONTANA (S59) WHILE ON A BUSINESS FLIGHT. NIGHT TIME VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FAA REPORTED THAT THE PILOT HAD BEEN CLEARED FOR THE GPS-A INSTRUMENT APPROACH PROCEDURE FOR THE LIBBY AIRPORT. THE CLEARANCE HAD A CROSSING RESTRICTION OF 10,700 FEET AT THE PACCE INTERSECTION, WHICH WAS THE INITIAL APPROCH FIX FOR THE GPS-A APPROACH. THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT CLEARANCE AT 2353. AT 2359, THE AIRPLANE TARGET WAS ABOUT 7 MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT; THE PILOT REPORTED THE AIRPORT IN SIGHT, AND CANCELLED THE IFR FLIGHT PLAN. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED ON IMPACT AND THE NON-CERTIFICATED PILOT, THE OWNER AND CEO OF STINGER WELDING ALONG WITH A NON-PILOT EMPLOYEE WERE KILLED ON IMPACT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED IN COOLIDGE, AZ (P08) ON DECEMBER 18, 2012. THE PILOT/OWNER OF THE AIRCRAFT HELD NO PILOT CERTIFICATES OR APPROPRIATE RATINGSAND DID NOT HAVE A VALID MEDICAL. THE LAST CERTIFICATE HELD WAS A STUDENT PILOTS CERTIFICATE THAT EXPIRED IN JUNE OF 2012. A STUDENT PILOT CERTIFICATE WAS APPLIED FOR ON 10/17/2012 BUT ISSUANCE WAS DEFERRED. THE PREVIOUSLY ISSUED STUDENT PILOT CERTIFICATE NOTED TO BE COLOR DEFICIENT AND WAS ISSUED A CLASS 3, SPECIAL RESTRICTION-NOT VALID FOR NIGHT FLYING OR BY COLOR SIGNAL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.