# NTSB DEN86FA181: Piper PA-28-236, N100WX, Townsend, MT, June 29, 1986

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: June 28, 1986, 23:45 local (Jun 29, 1986, 05:45 UTC)
- Place: Townsend, MT
- Coordinates: 46.480907, -111.339416 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.4809&lon=-111.3394&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed, report March 25, 1988
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 16833
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN86FA181
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/16833/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN86FA181

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - in flight, cruise - normal
  - judgment - poor, pilot in command (cause)
  - impairment(alcohol), pilot in command (cause)
  - light condition - dark night (contributing factor)
  - aircraft handling - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - spatial disorientation, pilot in command (cause)
  - lack of total experience, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - lack of total experience in type operation, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - lack of recent experience in type operation, pilot in command (contributing factor)
- Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, descent - uncontrolled
  - wing,spar - overload
  - design stress limits of aircraft - exceeded, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled
  - terrain condition - mountainous/hilly

## Analysis

ON 6/26/86, THE PLT & HIS WIFE HAD FLOWN FROM HELENA, MT. TO POWELL, WY, TO VISIT FAMILY & RELATIVES. ON THE DAY OF THE ACDNT, HE HAD CONSUMED ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES. DESPITE PLEAS FM HIS WIFE NOT TO RETURN TO HELENA THAT EVENING, HE ELECTED TO FLY BACK. WHILE EN ROUTE, THERE WAS A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE ACFT; THE WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER A 1460' AREA.THE RGT WING & BOTH STABILATORS WERE FOUND APRX 750' FM THE MAIN WRECKAGE WITH EVIDENCE OF OVERLOAD FAILURE. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF UPWARD DEFORMATION/FAILURE OF WINGS & DOWNWARD FAILURE OF THE STABILATORS. CAMPERS NEAR THE CRASH SITE RPRTDA MOONLESS, CLOUDY NGT WITH THUNDER & LIGHTNING IN THE AREA, BUT NO RAIN. APRX 60 MI WEST AT HELENA, THE 2350 MDT WX WAS, IN PART: 6500' OVERCAST, VIS 15 MI. ELEV OF THE CRASH SITE WAS APRX 6000'; ELEV OF THE WX STN WAS 3873'. THE PLT HAD ONLY 6 HRS OF NGT FLYING TIME (LAST NGT FLT WAS LOGGED ON 6/29/83) & ONLY 2.8 HRS OF INSTRUMENT TIME (LAST LOGGED ON 7/16/82). A CHECK OF THE PLT'S BLOOD SHOWED AN ALCOHOL LVL OF 0.115%.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N100WX](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N100WX-1991-03-25), registration cancelled 1991-03-25, S/N 287911062 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-236
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28-236](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-236) (registry code 7102815) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 28-7911062
- Airframe hours: 794
- Engines: LYCOMING O-540-J3A5D 235 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Jack D. Bunn
- Registered owner: The Garden Spot Market, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, March 22, 1986, 38 hours before
- Departed: POY, POWELL, WY
- Destination: HLN, HELENA, MT

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 54; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 280 total, 141 in this make and model, 227 as pilot in command, 13 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: HLN, 60 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19860628028139A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19860628028139A), Jun 28, 1986: Piper PA28236, Townsend, MT, Destroyed. The aircraft broke apart in flight. The pilot had no recent night experience. Suspect spatial disorientation.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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