Beech 99 accident near Helena, Montana, August 20, 1994
On August 20, 1994 at about 8:10 am local time, a Beech 99, registered N14MV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Helena, Montana (Helena Regional airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LANDING GEAR LOCKING MECHANISM OVERLOAD AND IMPROPER RIGGING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 20, 1994 · about 8:10 am local time
- Place
- Helena, Montana · Helena Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 99 · all 99s on the register
- Registration
- N14MV · registry record · serial U59
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER LANDING AND EXITING ON TO THE TAXIWAY, THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE BROKEN DOWN LOCK HOOK, LINK, FITTING, AND PIN REVEALED FRACTURES TYPICAL OF AN OVERSTRESS SEPARATION. THESE FAILURES WERE THE RESULT OF THE DOWN LOCK HOOK NOT PROPERLY ENGAGING THE LOCK PLATE ON THE DRAG LINK, EITHER FROM INADEQUATE RIGGING OR FROM EXCESSIVE BINDING OF THE FITTING.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,620 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 3,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme
- Maximum gross weight: 10,900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-28 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Alpine Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: BIL Billings MT at 7:15 am
- Destination: HLN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27, 9,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 070° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:30 am from HLN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.