- Date
- January 19, 1982, 19:15 local (Jan 20, 1982, 02:15 UTC)
- Place
- Wolf Pt., MT
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 2 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N35147Cessna 177B
- Weather
- Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report January 19, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820119002049A
- Case key
- 73084
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he encountered a snow squall while cruising at 5000 ft MSL on a VFR flight plan at night. He stated that he descended to 4000 ft MSL to try to get under the squall and continue. He was unable to remember what happened after descending to 4000 ft MSL. The plane was found and the survivors were rescued within two hours after the accident. The aircraft had crashed on level, snow covered terrain and continued about 300 ft after impact. An inspection of the wreckage revealed no preimpact malfunction or failure of the flight controls or engine. Local residents estimated the visibility from less then one mile to three miles with snow falling and blowing. The wind chill factor was about minus 50 degrees fahrenheit. The pilot was not certificated to fly at night. The elevation of the crash site was about 2200 ft MSL.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N35147
- Reported as
- Cessna 177B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17702232
- Airframe hours
- 548
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-AIF6D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Norgaard Farms
- Registered owner
- Norgaard Farms
- Departed
- Billings, MT
- Destination
- Popular, MT
- Flight plan
- VFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 26
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Invalid Medical for flight
- Flight hours
- 535 total · 489 in this make and model · 498 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Night/dark
- Temperature
- 32 °F
- Observed at
- BMS
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.