Beech F33A accident near Swan Lake, Montana, August 7, 1995
On August 7, 1995 at about 9:34 pm local time, a Beech F33A, registered N8014R, was destroyed in an accident near Swan Lake, Montana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's incapacitation due to a heart attack.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 1995 · about 9:34 pm local time
- Place
- Swan Lake, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Beech F33A · all F33As on the register
- Registration
- N8014R · no longer on the register · serial CE-1510
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported via radio to Cedar City Flight Watch that he was VMC and climbing through 11,400 feet. Flight Watch provided weather information and approximately 1 minute later the pilot responded 'OK, roger that ah understand---.' A recording of this transmission revealed the pilot breathing heavily and forcefully and his rate of speech had slowed noticeably. Radar data at the time of this transmission showed the aircraft peaking in the climb and transitioning into a high rate of descent which continued until ground impact in mountainous terrain. Post-mortem examination revealed severe sclerosis with over 60% occlusion of the right artery and over 90% occlusion of the left anterior descending and circumflex branches. The examination revealed ankle fractures but no hand/wrist/finger fractures. The pilot was 36 years old and his twin brother reported a 'heart issue' 8-10 years earlier.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 578 hours in all; 61 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 496 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 326 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 22, 1995; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BB(18) (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CTB Cut Bank MT at 8:45 pm
- Destination: GEG Spokane WA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; scat at 4,900 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from FCA, 32 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.