Cessna 320F accident near Missoula, Montana, April 7, 1982
On April 7, 1982 at about 3:46 am local time, a Cessna 320F, registered N999LS, was destroyed in an accident near Missoula, Montana (Missoula County airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 1982 · about 3:46 am local time
- Place
- Missoula, Montana · Missoula County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 320F · all 320Fs on the register
- Registration
- N999LS · no longer on the register · serial 0036
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING ARRIVAL FOR AN ILS-2 APPROACH TO RUNWAY 11, THE PILOT WAS ADVISED TO HOLD AT THE KONA NDB WHILE SNOWPLOWS FINISHED CLEARING THE RUNWAY. AT THAT TIME, THE MISSOULA WEATHER WAS 1200 FT OBSCURED, 2 MI VISIBILITY WITH LIGHT SNOW AND FOG, TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT WERE 32 AND 30 DEG RESPECTIVELY. ABOUT 1 MIN AFTER REACHING THE KONA NDB, THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND REPORTED THAT BOTH ENGINES WERE BEGINNING TO LOSE POWER. AT THAT TIME, HE WAS CLEARED FOR AN IMMEDIATE APPROACH. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES AND CRASHED BETWEEN THE KONA NDB AND THE ILS OUTER MARKER. DURING AN INVESTIGATION, ALL FUEL TANKS WERE FOUND RUPTURED, BUT FUEL STAINS WERE FOUND BY BOTH TIP TANKS. NO PREIMPACT, MECHANICAL FAILURES WERE FOUND. BOTH ALTERNATE AIR HANDLES WERE FOUND CLOSED. JUST PRIOR TO CRASHING, WITNESSES HEARD THE PLANE AT LOW ALTITUDE. THEY REPORTED THAT 1 OR MORE ENGINES WERE RUNNING AND HEAVY SNOW WAS FALLING AND BLOWING.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,615 hours in all; 108 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 1,363 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,988 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Three-Twenty Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: BFI Seattle WA at 6:43 pm
- Destination: C Piedmont SC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 11, 9,499 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 140° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:44 pm from MSO, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.