Piper PA-31-350 and Swearingen SA-226TC accident near Missoula, Montana, March 19, 1987
On March 19, 1987 at about 4:40 am local time, 2 aircraft, Piper PA-31-350 (N3529W) and Swearingen SA-226TC (N124AV), were involved in the same accident near Missoula, Montana (Missoula airport). No one was hurt; 10 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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 19, 1987 · about 4:40 am local time
- Place
- Missoula, Montana · Missoula · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 10 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N3529W · registry record · serial 317952159
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
- Aircraft 2
- Swearingen SA-226TC · all SA-226TCs on the register
- Registration
- N124AV · no longer on the register · serial TC364
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-31-350 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT OF THE PIPER NAVAJO WAS TAXIING TO THE ACTIVE RWY FOR AN IFR DEPARTURE, DIRECTED HIS ATTENTION TO THE DEPARTURE PROCEDURE CHART IN THE COCKPIT, AND COLLIDED WITH THE TAIL OF A SWEARINGEN ACFT HOLDING SHORT OF THE RWY AWAITING TAKEOFF CLEARANCE.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Swearingen SA-226TC final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT OF THE PIPER NAVAJO WAS TAXIING TO THE ACTIVE RWY FOR AN IFR DEPARTURE, DIRECTED HIS ATTENTION TO THE DEPARTURE PROCEDURE CHART IN THE COCKPIT, AND COLLIDED WITH THE TAIL OF A SWEARINGEN ACFT HOLDING SHORT OF THE RWY AWAITING TAKEOFF CLEARANCE.
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 for the Piper PA-31-350 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,572 hours in all; 224 in this make and model; 222 in the last 90 days; 2,516 as pilot in command; 1 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,166 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 17, 1987; 83 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bighorn Airways, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: MSO Missoula MT
- Destination: HLN Helena MT
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 320° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,600 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:48 am from MSO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Swearingen SA-226TC from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,550 hours in all; 3,505 in this make and model; 270 in the last 90 days; 11,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,493 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, March 9, 1987; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 22
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE331-1OUA (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Big Sky Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: MSO Missoula MT
- Destination: GTF Great Falls MT
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 7 |
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.