Aero Commander 680FL N446JR

Summary

On 17 June 1998 at about 00:00 local time, a Aero Commander 680FL registered N446JR was involved in an accident near Helena, Montana, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 June 1998 at 00:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Helena, Montana, United States

Nearest airport

Helena Regional Airport (HLN)

Coordinates

46.5302, -112.2098

Aircraft

Aero Commander 680FL

Registration

N446JR

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Kallispell → Helena

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA98FA100

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain the correct altitude while turning inbound during a procedure turn to the ILS final approach course. Factors include hilly/mountainous terrain and clouds in the area where the course reversal was performed.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the Part 135 cargo flight was executing the 'full' ILS runway 27 approach at Helena Regional Airport in a non-radar environment. Although the approach calls for the pilot to maintain 7,000 feet until intercepting the glideslope, the aircraft impacted the terrain at 5,300 about 1.5 miles prior to reaching the point where the pilot should have crossed the Hauser NDB at an altitude of 6,741 feet. According to the approach plate, the aircraft should not have descended to an altitude below 5,400 feet until reaching the outer marker, which is located about five and one-half miles west of the impact site.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.