Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Libby, Montana, July 26, 1996
On July 26, 1996 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N3071R, was destroyed in an accident near Libby, Montana. It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
collision with rising mountainous terrain for unknown reason(s).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 1996 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Libby, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N3071R · no longer on the register · serial 28R-35632
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport pilot, who had extensive and recent flight experience in corporate jets, received a 15-minute check-out in a single-engine light rental airplane after it was 'topped off' with fuel. The next morning, he boarded two passengers in the airplane and departed on a corporate flight. Ground witnesses observed the airplane flying between 800 and 2,000 feet above a lake and valley, and they heard the engine 'missing' and 'coughing.' The airplane continued to fly in a level attitude into an area of steeply rising terrain toward the destination airport. The airplane impacted trees at an elevation of 5,700 feet msl and burned. The wreckage path was 280 feet in length and pointed toward the airport. The accident site was surrounded by rising terrain on three sides, and the density altitude was computed to be about 6,700 feet. The landing gear was found in the extended position; no determination was made of whether the extension was due to pilot initiation, automatic extension, or initial impact forces. No distress calls from the pilot were reported, and no preimpact mechanical deficiency with the airplane or engine was found.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,536 hours in all; 83 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 5, 1996
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Action Flying Service, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: COE Coeur D'Alene ID at 1:40 pm
- Destination: S59 Libby MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.