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SEA91FA073

1991-03-28 · BUTTE, Montana, United States · Fatal · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport BTM

N7133Y has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (BEECH G36), which was not involved in this event.

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

INADEQUATE INFLIGHT DECISIONS, FUEL STARVATION, AND FAILURE TO PERFORM ALTERNATIVE IFR APPROACH PROCEDURES. FACTORS INCLUDE OPERATION WITH KNOWN DEFICIENCIES IN EQUIPMENT, DISORIENTATION, AND LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA.

Factual narrative

THE PILOT OF THE PIPER PA-30 DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AFTER FAILURE OF BOTH ENGINES, AFTER THREE ILS APPROACH ATTEMPTS. DURING THE LANDING AFTER HIS EMERGENCY DESCENT, THE RIGHT WING-TIP STRUCK THE SNOW-COVERED SURFACE AND THE AIRCRAFT SLID TO A STOP SIDEWAYS. A TOTAL OF 10.75 GALLONS OF FUEL REMAINED IN THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN ALOFT APPROXIMATELY 5.25 HOURS. WEATHER AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT WAS VFR. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_SEA91FA073.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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Related research

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