DEN87FA234

Both plts were reportedly avid big horn sheep hunters. On the morning of the accident, the 2nd plt picked up topographical charts of the area where the acft crashed. It was an area where the Montana department of fish, wildlife, and parks (fwp) had recently relocated a herd of big horn sheep. The 2nd plt was also a recently retired fwp regional supervisor who had been in charge of sheep herd relocations. One witness saw the acft flying east across the mtns at low alt. It suddenly dropped out of sight and smoke was seen coming from the area. Winds aloft were forcast to be out of the nnw at 14-15 KTS. No evidence was fd to indicate any pre-impact failure or malfunction. The acft struck the east wall of 7300 ft high bund gulch at abt the 7250 ft level in a nose high, l wg low attitude. The carb throttle valve was full open. The prop bore evidence of rotation at impact.