Beech V35 accident near Bridger, Montana, October 3, 1985
On October 3, 1985 at about 3:50 pm local time, a Beech V35, registered N8475H, was destroyed in an accident near Bridger, Montana. It was a personal 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
- October 3, 1985 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Bridger, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35 · all V35s on the register
- Registration
- N8475H · no longer on the register · serial D-8236
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG A PREFLT WX BRIEFING, THE PLT WAS ADVISED THAT VFR FLT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED DUE TO FORECAST FRONTAL ACTIVITY MOVING SOUTHBOUND ALONG HIS ROUTE. SEVERE TURBULENCE & ICING HAD BEEN REPORTED JUST TO THE NORTH OF HIS COURSE. HE FILED A VFR FLT PLAN & TOOK OFF AT 0730. AT 0931, THE PLT CONTACTED ARTCC. HE SAID HE WOULD BE UNABLE TO CONTINUE VFR TO HIS DESTN &REQUESTED VECTORS TO BILLINGS, MT, TO AWAIT WX IMPROVEMENT. AT 0935, BEFORE VECTORS WERE ISSUED, THE PLT CANCELED HIS REQUEST SAYING HE WOULD NOT NEED THE VECTORS AS THERE WERE 'BIG HOLES . . . BELOW US NOW.' SHORTLY THEREAFTER, RADIO & RADAR CONTACT WERE LOST. A SEARCH WAS INITIATED, BUT THE ACFT WAS NOT LOCATED UNTIL 10 DAYS LATER. IT HAD CRASHED INTO THE WALL OF A LARGE CANYON IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN NEAR THE POINT WHERE RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. A PLT, WHO WAS DRIVING IN THE AREA, REPORTED THE SKY WAS OBSCURED WITH 1/4 MI VIS, BUT FURTHER SOUTH, THE WX IMPROVED TO UNLIMITED VIS & A CEILING OF 2000 TO 3000'. THE PLT'S LOG WAS NOT FND, BUT ON 1/26/84, HE RPRTD A TOTAL TIME OF 400 HRS ON AN APPLICATION.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 400 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 10, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 6S5 Hamilton MT at 1:30 pm
- Destination: BDX Broadus MT
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.