Beech 33 N9529Y accident near St. Ignatius, Montana

Probable cause

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

NTSB analysis

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.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR19FA246 for the full record.