MONARCH, MT, USA
N6434R
PIPER PA-28-140
AFTER RECEIVING A WEATHER BRIEFING DURING WHICH VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED, THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT DEPARTED PRIEST RIVER, EN ROUTE TO LEWISTOWN. APPROXIMATELY 50 NAUTICAL MILES SHORT OF HIS DESTINATION, OVER HILLY/MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES NEAR THE TOP OF A 7650 FOOT RIDGELINE AND CRASHED. THE PILOT REPORTED LOW CEILINGS AND 1.5 MILES VISIBILITY RESTRICTED BY MODERATE RAIN AND CLOUDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. HE ALSO REPORTED A LOSS OF ALTITUDE AT FULL POWER APPROACHING THE RIDGELINE THAT WAS NOT ATTRIBUTED TO ANY AIRCRAFT MALFUNCTION.
THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S DISREGARD OF THE WEATHER FORECAST AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE WITH TREES/TERRAIN. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: HILLY/MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, WEATHER CONDITIONS: RAIN, LOW CEILINGS AND DOWNDRAFTS, TREES AND THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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