Piper PA-28-181 accident near Bridger, Montana, March 26, 2008
On March 26, 2008 at about 3:24 am local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N432RM, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Bridger, Montana. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot failed to maintain situational awareness during the flight. Contributing to the accident were the dark night, the pilot's failure to follow approved navigational procedures for the flight, and the pilot's over reliance on the avionics in the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 26, 2008 · about 3:24 am local time
- Place
- Bridger, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N432RM · no longer on the register · serial 2843623
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed on a night, solo cross-country flight to fulfill a training requirement for his commercial pilot certificate. Although the pilot was aware that the flight was to be flown using dead reckoning and pilotage, he did not verify the ground checkpoints during the flight, which resulted in his loss of situational awareness. Following departure, the air traffic controller had the pilot fly southeast of the airport. After the pilot cleared the airspace, in an action inconsistent with established visual flight rules (VFR) procedures set by his school, the pilot incorrectly entered a true course rather than a magnetic course into the global positioning system (GPS) onboard the airplane. In the process of programming the GPS unit, he used a GPS course entry procedure that was only to be used during instrument flight procedures rather than VFR flight navigation. The pilot then activated the autopilot to fly the entered course. During the flight, the airplane entered instrument flight rules conditions and the pilot disconnected the autopilot. The pilot then received a warning on the GPS that the airplane was close to terrain. He began a left turn to return to visual flight rules. During the turn, the airplane impacted the terrain. The pilot did not report any mechanical or navigational anomalies with the airplane and none were identified during the postaccident examination of the wreckage and instrumentation.
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
What happened, in order
- VFR encounter with IMC during enroute (cruise)
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusio › Situational awareness › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Navigation system › Global positioning sys (GPS) › Incorrect use/operation
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Personality/attitude › Confidence/reliance on equip › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 150 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 75 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 29, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,278 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 4, 2008; 86 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BIL Billings MT at 3:04 am
- Destination: POY Powell WY
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 210° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,500 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 am from BIL, 37 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.