# NTSB investigations, MT: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB WPR24LA090](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA090.md): Enstrom 280FX · Lewistown, MT · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Feb 15, 2024 · N899JS · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s encounter with low light conditions and snow-covered terrain.
- [NTSB WPR23LA307](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA307.md): Boeing A75N1(PT17) · Red Lodge, MT · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Aug 8, 2023 · N56907 · Substantial damage
  > A partial loss of engine power during the initial climb out due to improper maintenance of the magneto.
- [NTSB WPR20LA304](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20LA304.md): Cessna 172 · Seeley Lake, MT · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Sep 13, 2020 · N3720R · Substantial damage
  > The noninstrument-rated pilot’s encounter with instrument meteorological conditions during a night visual approach due to wildfire smoke, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.
- [NTSB WPR20FA063](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20FA063.md): Cessna TR182 · Billings, MT · Accident · 4 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Jan 12, 2020 · N736YU · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance due to poor decision making in selecting an unsafe altitude during cruise flight.
- [NTSB WPR18FA260](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18FA260.md): Robert L Coons RotorWay RW 1 · Billings, MT · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Sep 12, 2018 · N166LC · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with a hangar while maneuvering to his hangar. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's limited experience in helicopters.
- [NTSB WPR15FA135](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR15FA135.md): Piper PA32R - 301 · Townsend, MT · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Mar 26, 2015 · C-GAUS · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's decision to depart on and to continue a visual flight rules flight over mountainous terrain into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of recent…
- [NTSB WPR14FA362](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14FA362.md): Cessna 177B · Neihart, MT · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Sep 2, 2014 · N34880 · Destroyed
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain while maneuvering at low altitude in turbulent conditions over mountainous terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper decision to traverse the mountainous area with the airplane over…
- [NTSB WPR13FA208](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13FA208.md): Bell 206B · Shepherd, MT · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Apr 27, 2013 · N150SP · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s loss of control while maneuvering during low-altitude operations due to sudden neurological impairment or incapacitation and the helicopter’s subsequent collision with power lines.
- [NTSB WPR13FA073](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13FA073.md): Beech B100 · Libby, MT · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Dec 19, 2012 · N499SW · Destroyed
  > The noncertificated pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from terrain while maneuvering to land in dark night conditions likely due to his geographic disorientation (lost). Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s improper decision to fly at night with a…
- [NTSB WPR11FA221](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11FA221.md): Air Tractor AT-802A · Miles City, MT · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · May 9, 2011 · N8523H · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's continued visual flight rules flight into deteriorating weather conditions in an airplane not equipped for instrument flight, which resulted in a collision with terrain.
- [NTSB WPR10FA273](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10FA273.md): Piper PA-34-220T · Lincoln, MT · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · May 30, 2010 · N44MC · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s decision to continue flight into an area of low ceilings and low visibility and his failure to maintain sufficient clearance from mountainous terrain.
- [NTSB WPR10FA018](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10FA018.md): Cessna 182 · Pryor, MT · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Oct 13, 2009 · N6202A · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s decision to continue flight into an area of low ceilings and low visibility and his failure to maintain clearance from terrain.
- [NTSB LAX08LA154](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX08LA154.md): Maule MX-7-235 · Boulder, MT · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · May 23, 2008 · N5657Y · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's decision to continue flight at low altitude in instrument weather conditions and his failure to maintain clearance from a power line. Contributing to the accident were low cloud and visibility conditions.
- [NTSB SEA08LA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA08LA095.md): Piper PA-28-181 · Bridger, MT · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Mar 26, 2008 · N432RM · Substantial damage
  > 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, and the pilot's over reliance on the avionics in the…

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."eventStateOrRegion" = 'MT' AND c."eventCountry" = 'USA'
  AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT s.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s."tier2Number" = '120' AND s.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE "isDefiningEvent"))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence?state=MT

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OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.