Rockwell 112TCA accident near Missoula, Montana, March 9, 1984
On March 9, 1984 at about 8:55 pm local time, a Rockwell 112TCA, registered N4699W, was destroyed in an accident near Missoula, Montana. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 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
- March 9, 1984 · about 8:55 pm local time
- Place
- Missoula, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell 112TCA
- Registration
- N4699W · registry record · serial 13275
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD FILED AN IFR CLEARANCE. WHILE TAXIING TO TAKEOFF, HE REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A CLEARANCE TO CLIMB VFR ON COURSE, VIA VICTOR AIRWAY 2, WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO REPORT WHEN REACHING 10,000' MSL. THIS WAS THE LAST COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM THE PILOT. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT ARRIVE AT ITS DESTINATION, A SEARCH WAS INITIATED; HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT FOUND UNTIL 11/28/87, WHEN IT WAS DISCOVERED BY A HUNTER. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT HAD CRASHED IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN ABOUT 14 MILES WEST OF MISSOULA, MT & 8 MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRWAY, WHILE IN A STEEP DESCENT. IMPACT OCCURRED AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 6400'. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL FAILURE WAS FOUND. THE 1352 MST WEATHER AT MISSOULA WAS IN PART: 3000' SCATTERED, 4500' BROKEN, WITH MOUNTAINS PARTIALLY OBSCURRED IN CLOUDS AND ISOLATED SNOW SHOWERS. AN AIRMET WARNED OF OCCASIONAL MODERATE RIME ICE IN CLOUDS AND PRECIPITATION ABOVE THE FREEZING LEVEL TO 15,000' AND OCCASIONAL MODERATE TURBULENCE BELOW 16,000'.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 742 hours in all; 293 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1A6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: MSO Missoula MT at 8:45 pm
- Destination: TIW Tacoma WA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: broken clouds; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from MSO, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.