Beech D18S accident near Lakeside, Montana, July 5, 1987
On July 5, 1987 at about 2:05 am local time, a Beech D18S, registered N132E, was destroyed in an accident near Lakeside, Montana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 10 people were killed. 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
- July 5, 1987 · about 2:05 am local time
- Place
- Lakeside, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 10 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech D18S · all D18Ss on the register
- Registration
- N132E · no longer on the register · serial A-4
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT BORROWED THE ACFT TO FLY A MUSICAL GROUP TO KALISPELL FOR A PVT ENGAGEMENT AT LAKESIDE, MT, WHICH WAS APRX 15 MI SOUTH OF THE ARPT. THAT EVENING, THE GROUP BOARDED THE ACFT FOR THE RETURN FLT. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ACFT WAS SEEN FLYING AT LOW ALT IN THE VCNTY OF WHERE THE MUSICAL GROUP HAD PERFORMED. THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED AT A VERY LOW ALT WHEN IT ENTERED AN ABRUPT CLIMB, THEN WENT INTO A WINGOVER OR HAMMERHEAD STALL TYPE OF MANEUVER & REVERSED DIRECTION. HOWEVER, BEFORE RECOVERING FROM THE ENSUING DIVE, THE ACFT CRASHED ON WOODED TERRAIN. WITNESSES SAID THE ENGS APPEARED TO BE RUNNING NORMALLY. A TEST OF THE PLT'S BLOOD SHOWED A SLIGHT AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL; HOWEVER, THERE WERE INDCNS THIS WAS DUE TO PUTREFACTION.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 3,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,176 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1986; 130 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,750 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-985-AN1-14B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: S27 Kalispell MT at 1:55 am
- Destination: S77 Coeur D' Alene ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:54 am from FCA, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 9 |
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.