- Date
- February 2, 1986, 13:10 local (20:10 UTC)
- Place
- Kalispell, MT
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2874KCessna 180
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860202001799A
- Case key
- 16805
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 plt received a wx briefing and filed an IFR flt plan to Boeing field, seattle, WA. He departed Kalispell, MT, at 1135 MST. When the plt arrived in the spokane area, he obtained wx reports for seattle and decided to turn around and return to Kalispell. Wx at Kalispell had deteriorated. The plt was cleared for a contact apch. The plt advised the salt lake ARTCC that he had a small lake in sight below, was cancelling IFR and proceeding VFR. Ice fishermen observed the acft make several passes over the lake then heard the sound of impact. They described the wx as low ceiling, reduced visibility, snow, and fog. Although the plt could not recall the events leading up to the accident, he surmised that he may have attempted a precautionary landing due to an accumulation of airframe ice. Flt precautions for moderate rime ice in clouds and precipitation from freezing level to 14,000 ft had been forecast.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2874K
- Reported as
- Cessna 180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 180-53110
- Airframe hours
- 881
- Engine
- Continental O-470-U, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John R. Glenn
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 23, 1985 · 73 hours before
- Departed
- FCA · Kalispell, MT
- Destination
- BFI · Seattle, WA
- Flight plan
- IFR
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
- 47
- Certificates
- Commercial, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,284 total · 396 in this make and model · 1,090 as pilot in command · 44 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Lowest ceiling
- 100 ft
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.