Piper PA-34-220T accident near Lincoln, Montana, May 30, 2010
On May 30, 2010 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-220T, registered N44MC, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Lincoln, Montana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s decision to continue flight into an area of low ceilings and low visibility and his failure to maintain sufficient clearance from mountainous terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 2010 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lincoln, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-220T · all PA-34-220Ts on the register
- Registration
- N44MC · no longer on the register · serial 34-8133095
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instrument-rated pilot was on a visual-flight-rules cross-country flight over mountainous terrain in instrument meteorological conditions. The airplane was one of a flight of twelve participating in a guided air tour. Approximately 20 minutes after takeoff, the pilot of the accident airplane reported that he was encountering clouds at 8,500 feet and had received a global-positioning-system low-altitude alert. Minutes later there was an indistinct radio transmission believed to be the accident pilot; the transmission was followed by a radio transmission believed to be the passenger of the accident airplane who stated they had a problem and the airplane had hit trees. Scattered to broken cloud layers existed between 7,000 to 7,500 feet, with rain and mountain obscuration in the area of the accident. The wreckage was located in steep tree-covered terrain at 6,780 feet. Multiple trees with fresh slash marks were noted in the area of the wreckage. Postaccident examination of the aircraft wreckage showed no evidence of a preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure.
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)
- Loss of visual reference during enroute (cruise)
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Weather planning › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Low ceiling › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Low visibility › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Mountainous/hilly terrain › Effect on operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,522 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,851 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 7, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cont Motor TSIO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor TSIO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HLN Helena MT at 2:12 pm
- Destination: CYXC Cranbrook Bc
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KHLN, 42 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.