Beech J35 accident near Helena, MT

On June 24, 2013, a Beech J35 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Helena, MT. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.

Date

June 24, 2013

Place

Helena, MT

Aircraft

Beech J35 · Airplane

Injuries

1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor

Damage

Substantial

Position

46.748°N, 112.003°W

NTSB ID

20130624X54201

Official records · WPR13FA288

• Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation

Air traffic control records

• Transcription of Helena Air Traffic Control Tower: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
• Records of Conversation – Helena ATC Facility Manager: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov

NTSB summary

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn June 24, 2013, about 1205 mountain daylight time, a Beech J35 airplane, N8255D, sustained substantial damage following impact with terrain while maneuvering about 10 nautical miles north of Helena Regional Airport (HLN), Helena, Montana. The airplane was operated by Vetter Aviation of Helena. The certified private pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight, which was being operated in accordance with 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91, and a flight plan was not filed. The local flight departed HLN about 1150. In a statement provided to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), the operator of the airplane reported that the pilot departed runway 34 at HLN and flew north to the local practice area, and had intended to return to HLN. The operator stated that he was not exactly certain what the intention of the flight was for. In an interview with a family member two days after the accident, it was reported that the pilot had a planned trip to the mid-west for the July 4th holidays, and was going out to practice to get current. Records indicated that the pilot had flown a total of about 2.5 hours in the previous 30 days. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aviation safety inspector provided the NTSB IIC with two witness statements. The first witness, who lived about 1 nautical mile (nm) west of the accident site, reported that he first heard the airplane when its engine suddenly "changed pitch and sped up." He then looked up and saw a single-engine, low-wing

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin and subsequent impact with terrain.

More accidents in MT

• Pilatus PC-12/45, Mar 22, 2009
• Beech D18S, Jul 5, 1987
• Cessna 550, Dec 18, 1992
• Beech V35B, Jun 24, 1982
• Cessna 182C, May 12, 2007

Browse: Montana · Beech aircraft

See it on the map

Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.