Cessna 170B N3292A accident near Alzada, Montana

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control while maneuvering, which resulted in a collision with mountainous terrain.

NTSB analysis

The private pilot departed for a local area flight. When he did not return, a search was initiated, and the wreckage was located in a saddle between two mountain peaks. There were no identified witnesses to the accident. Onsite documentation revealed that the airplane collided with the terrain in a vertical nose-down attitude. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

According to a friend of the pilot, the pilot was very comfortable flying in the local area at altitudes of 150 ft above ground level or less. Given the pilot's preference for low altitude flight, it is likely that he was maneuvering around the mountainous terrain, lost control of the airplane, and did not have sufficient altitude to recover before ground impact.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR15FA049 for the full record.