Beechcraft 33 N9529Y

Summary

On 29 August 2019 at about 22:00 local time, a Beechcraft 33 registered N9529Y was involved in an accident near St. Ignatius, Montana, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 August 2019 at 22:00

Classification

Accident

Location

St. Ignatius, Montana, United States

Coordinates

47.2758, -114.1242

Aircraft

Beechcraft 33

Registration

N9529Y

Category

Airplane

Year built

1962

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Valentine → St. Ignatius

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR19FA246

3 people died.

The pilot’s decision to maneuver the airplane at a low altitude, which resulted in impact with power lines and terrain.  

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot and two passengers departed on a multi-leg cross-country flight. Video from a camera affixed to the airplane’s right wing indicated that, as the airplane approached a ranch near the destination airport, the pilot overflew a set of power distribution lines, then descended to a lower altitude to overfly the ranch. The airplane impacted a second set of power lines, severing the left wing, left aileron, and the upper sections of the rudder and vertical stabilizer, then descended to the ground. Multiple witnesses reported hearing the airplane approaching the ranch, then seeing the airplane impact the power distribution lines. One witness stated that the pilot often overflew the ranch to announce his arrival but that he had never seen him fly that low. Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the pilot’s decision to fly at low altitude and his failure to maintain clearance from powerlines, which resulted in impact with power lines and, subsequently, terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.