Beechcraft E18S N250RP

Summary

On 27 January 1995 at about 05:30 local time, a Beechcraft E18S registered N250RP was involved in an accident near Butte, Montana, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 January 1995 at 05:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Butte, Montana, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Beechcraft E18S

Registration

N250RP

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Seattle → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

SEA95FA043

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE IFR PROCEDURE BY NOT MAINTAINING THE PROPER ALTITUDE PRIOR TO THE INITIAL APPRAOCH FIX. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS AND A LOW CEILING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHILE PERFORMING AN ILS APPROACH AT NIGHT AND IN IMC, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN PRIOR TO THE IAF. THE MDA PRIOR TO THE IAF IS 10,600 FEET. THE DESCENT ALTITUDE AT THE OM IS 7,713 FEET. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED UNDER THE LOCALIZER PATH AT AN ELEVATION OF 7,600 FEET. DAMAGE TO TREE TOPS ALONG THE WRECKAGE DISTRIBUTION PATH INDICATES THAT THE AIRPLANE TRAVELLED THROUGH THE TREES ON A LEVEL PLANE UNTIL CONTACT WITH THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET INTO THE PATH. LIGHT SNOW WAS FALLING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND VISIBILITY WAS DETERIORATING DUE TO FOG. DURING THE POST CRASH INVESTIGATION, THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE FOUND TO INDICATE A MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.