- Date
- April 30, 1995, 18:25 local (May 1, 1995, 00:25 UTC)
- Place
- Anaconda, MT
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N6288PPiper PA-24-250
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 8, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950430011279A
- Case key
- 42140
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's attempt to conduct visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, and his failure to maintain clearance from terrain.
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 airplane struck a tree while the pilot was maneuvering in instrument meteorological conditions after he had turned away from his destination due to deteriorating weather conditions during a VFR flight. The pilot was able to maintain control of the airplane after the collision and landed without further difficulty.
Factual narrative
On April 30, 1995, about 1825 hours mountain daylight time, N6288P, a Piper PA-24-250, collided with a tree and was substantially damaged while maneuvering over Anaconda, Montana. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The personal flight departed Missoula, Montana, and was conducted under 14 CFR 91.
According to the pilot, the pilot's intended destination was Butte, Montana. During the flight, visibility decreased to IMC and the pilot began to maneuver the airplane in an attempt to find visual meteorological conditions. As the airplane was maneuvering in IMC, the airplane's left wing collided with a tree. The pilot radioed a MAYDAY and continued the flight to Butte. The airplane landed in Butte uneventfully. No mechanical malfunctions were reported.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6288P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-24-250
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-1398
- Airframe hours
- 8,495
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Desilva, Harold L.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 16, 1995 · 24 hours before
- Departed
- MSO · Missoula, MT
- Destination
- BTM · Butte, MT
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
- 22
- Certificate
- Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 707 total · 3 in this make and model · 575 as pilot in command · 51 in the last 90 days · 24 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,600 ft broken
- Temperature
- 37 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BTM
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.