Piper PA-32-300 accident near Billings, Montana, December 23, 1984
On December 23, 1984 at about 6:18 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N2024M, was destroyed in an accident near Billings, Montana (Billings Logan Int'L airport). It was a personal 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
- December 23, 1984 · about 6:18 pm local time
- Place
- Billings, Montana · Billings Logan Int'L
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N2024M · no longer on the register · serial 32-7840037
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON DEC 23, 1984, A NON INSTRUMENT RATED PVT PLT CRASHED INTO THE GROUND NEAR THE ARPT AT BILLINGS, MT KILLING ALL THREE OCCUPANTS ONBOARD. WX CONDITIONS AT THE TIME WERE INDEFINITE CEILING 100 FT SKY OBSCURED, 1/2 VIS WITH SNOW AND FOG. THEPLT RECEIVED PRIOR WX BRIEFINGS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE AND FILED AN IFR. SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTURE, THE AC WAS OBSERVED ON RADAR TO BE MEANDERING OVER THE ARPT. LOCAL EAR WITNESSES HEARD THE AC IN A COUPLE OF SPIRAL TYPE TURNS BEFORE CRASHING.EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE VERITICAL, HORIZONTAL STABILIZERS AND RIGHT WING SEPARATED INFLT JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. THE PLT & HIS FAMILY WERE GOING TO PHOENIX, AZ TO SPEND XMAS WITH HIS FAMILY.
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: private
- Flight time: 3,619 hours in all; 824 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Avco Lycoming O-540-KIG5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BIL Billings MT at 6:10 pm
- Destination: RIV Riverton WY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 9, 10,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 9 knots
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 3°F (-16°C), dew point 1°F (-17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:54 pm from BIL, 2 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.