Cessna 150L accident near Angela, Montana, August 19, 2004
On August 19, 2004 at about 2:00 am local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N17062, was destroyed in an accident near Angela, Montana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot to maintain clearance while maneuvering. A factor contributing to the accident was the physical impairment of the pilot due to an elevated blood alcohol level.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 19, 2004 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Angela, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N17062 · no longer on the register · serial 15073613
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A witness observed the airplane appear over a rise in the terrain from the west flying in an easterly direction. The airplane circled twice at less than 1,000 feet above the ground before heading west in a slight descent and impacting the ground at a high rate of speed. The pilot had a history of alcohol abuse beginning at the age of 16, as well as a history of driving intoxicated while under the influence of alcohol. He received inpatient treatment for "alcohol dependence" in 1993 and was noted to be "high risk for relapse" in documentation provided to the FAA. The pilot's first application for a 3rd Class Medical Certificate and Student Pilot Certificate in 1995 was denied. The pilot subsequently obtained a valid medical certificate in 1997, but was cautioned by the FAA that any further alcohol related offenses, or evidence of alcohol abuse could require re-evaluation of his medical certification. Additional documentation submitted to the FAA from 1995 through 1999 indicated that the pilot was completely abstinent from alcohol following impatient treatment in 1993. However, information submitted to the FAA in 2000 noted that the pilot was drinking 'about a six pack of beer per week' and had 'elevated liver enzymes.' No additional evaluation was requested by the FAA following the receipt of that information. Toxicological specimens from the pilot revealed 263 mg/dL (0.263%) ethanol in blood, 275 mg/dL (0.275%) in urine, 235 mg/dL (0.235%) in vitreous, and 190 mg/dL (0.190%) in brain. Examination of the airframe and engine, and their logbooks, did not reveal any pre-existing anomalies that would have prevented normal operations.
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 sea
- Flight time: 400 hours in all
- Last flight review: July 29, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,570.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 18, 2004
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Angela MT at 2:00 am
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 330° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from MLS, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.