- Date
- December 23, 1984, 11:18 local (18:18 UTC)
- Place
- Billings, MT
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N2024MPiper PA-32-300
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19841223067609A
- Case key
- 16520
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
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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
On dec 23, 1984, a non instrument rated pvt plt crashed into the ground near the arpt at Billings, MT killing all three occupants onboard. Wx conditions at the time were indefinite ceiling 100 ft sky obscured, 1/2 vis with snow and fog. Theplt received prior wx briefings prior to departure and filed an IFR. Shortly after departure, the ac was observed on radar to be meandering over the arpt. Local ear witnesses heard the ac in a couple of spiral type turns before crashing. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the veritical, horizontal stabilizers and right wing separated inflt just prior to impact with the ground. The plt & his family were going to phoenix, AZ to spend xmas with his family.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2024M
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-7840037
- Engine
- Avco Lycoming O-540-KIG5D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jeffrey Linn Strickland
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- BIL · Billings, MT
- Destination
- RIV · Riverton, WY
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- BIL · Billings Logan Int'L, runway 9, 10,500 × 150 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 31
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 3,619 total · 824 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 9 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- 100 ft
- Temperature
- 3 °F, dew point 1 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BIL, 2 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.