- Date
- March 18, 1987, 21:40 local (Mar 19, 1987, 04:40 UTC)
- Place
- Missoula, MT
- Injuries
- 10 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report May 2, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA reports
- 19870318008181A19870318008182A
- Case key
- 17175
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 of the Piper navajo was taxiing to the active rwy for an IFR departure, directed his attention to the departure procedure chart in the cockpit, and collided with the tail of a swearingen acft holding short of the rwy awaiting takeoff clearance.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N3529W
- Reported as
- Piper PA-31-350
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 317952159
- Airframe hours
- 3,166
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540, 350 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Bighorn Airways, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Bighorn Airways
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 17, 1987 · 83 hours before
- Departed
- MSO · Missoula, MT
- Destination
- HLN · Helena, MT
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- MSO · Missoula
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.
- Registration
- N124AV
- Reported as
- Swearingen SA-226TC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- TC364
- Airframe hours
- 11,493
- Engine
- Garrett TPE331-1OUA, 900 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Big Sky Airlines
- Registered owner
- Itt Industrial Credit Company
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · March 9, 1987 · 47 hours before
- Departed
- MSO · Missoula, MT
- Destination
- GTF · Great Falls, MT
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- MSO · Missoula
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N3529W
- Age
- 28
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,572 total · 224 in this make and model · 2,516 as pilot in command · 222 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N124AV
- Age
- 38
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 11,550 total · 3,505 in this make and model · 11,200 as pilot in command · 270 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 320° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,600 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 32 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MSO
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.