Tuesday, September 02, 2014

Cessna 177B Cardinal, N34880: Accident occurred September 02, 2014 in Neihart, Montana

NTSB Identification: WPR14FA362 
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, September 02, 2014 in Neihart, MT
Aircraft: CESSNA 177B, registration: N34880
Injuries: 1 Fatal,3 Serious.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On September 2, 2014, about 1230 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 177B, N34880, impacted terrain about 5 miles southeast of Neihart, Montana. There were four soles on board; the private pilot and two passengers were seriously injured and one passenger was fatally injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage during the accident sequence and subsequent post impact fire. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from Great Falls International Airport (GTF), Great Falls, Montana at about 1200.

The pilot reported to local law enforcement that he was flying in a valley when he observed rising terrain ahead. He attempted to climb over the ridge, but the airplane wouldn't climb. The pilot turned the airplane towards the valley when the airplane struck trees and descended to the ground.

The airplane has been recovered to a secure location for further examination.


AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, THERE WERE 4 PERSONS ON BOARD, 1 WAS FATALLY INJURED, 3 SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES, WRECKAGE LOCATED NEAR THE SHOWDOWN SKI AREA 25 MILES FROM GREAT FALLS, MT 

CHRISTOPHER J. WILSEY: http://registry.faa.gov/N34880 

Any witnesses should email witness@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov




GREAT FALLS - Rachel Lukasik, the 11-year-old girl who survived the crash of a small plane near Neihart last week, continues recovering in a burn unit in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The crash claimed the life of her grandmother, Susan Majerus, and seriously injured her grandfather, 68-year-old Robert Majerus, 68. A fourth passenger, Christopher Wilsey, 55, was also injured.

John Thurston has created a Go Fund Me web page to raise money to help Rachel - known as Ladybug - and her family.

Thurston writes:

Ladybug was burned horrifically in the crash and her grandma, Sue Majerus, gave her life saving Ladybug from the wreckage. Ladybug was flown from Great Falls, Montana to Salt Lake City almost immediately as a result of the severity of her burns.

Ladybug's father is in Salt Lake at the burn center with her while she goes through the process of healing. The course of mending will take a great deal of time, time Mr. Lukasik will be away from work.

While he is away there are bills that need to be paid and because he is the sole means of income for Ladybug and her brother, Mr. Lukasik should not have the worry of losing his home or having his power disconnected after just losing his mother, Sue, and while he is caring for his daughter Ladybug while she heals.

The friends and family of the Lukasiks have come together to help during this time but they are asking the community for help as well. Donations are appreciated and will insure Mr. Lukasik and Ladybug will have a comfortable home to return to when it is time.

Click here to visit the Go Fund Me page.

Source:  http://www.kbzk.com


Susan Majerus

Sep 08, 1946 - Sep 02, 2014  


Susan Kay (Murray) Majerus, 67, of Great Falls/Monarch, died on Tuesday, September 2, 2014 in an airplane crash on Kings Hill.

A vigil service will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 9, 2014 at Corpus Christi Catholic Church. A funeral liturgy will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 10, 2014 at Corpus Christi Catholic Church. Schnider Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

Sue was born on September 8, 1946 in Great Falls, Montana to James L. Murray and Dorothy (Lanning) Murray. She attended St. Thomas Grade School and graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1964. She married Leonard Lukasik in 1965; the marriage was later annulled.  Sue married Bob Majerus in 1992.

Sue had a ceramics business, taught classes, and won many awards for her creations. She was the manager’s secretary at the Great Falls International Airport, membership director at the Great Falls Area of Commerce and Job Service in the programs department. She wrote articles for the Consumer’s Press “Great Falls Positive” and had just started writing for the Judith Basin Press in Stanford. Sue was involved with the Monarch Neihart Historical Group in restoring the Monarch Railroad Depot and moving a caboose from Belt to Monarch. She also helped cook and advertise events at the Monarch Neihart Senior Center.

She was a devoted lifelong Catholic. Sue retired to become a full time caregiver for her grandchildren. In 2011, Sue and Bob bought a cabin near Monarch. She loved spending time in the mountains and making friends with all the people in the Belt Creek Valley.

Sue is survived by her husband, Robert Majerus; son Rodney Lukasik; siblings Mary Jo Lacher of Fairfield, Colleen Love of Fontana, CA, Michael Murray of San Jose, CA, Jackie Strosnider of Swan Lake, MT and Tim Murray of Great Falls; step-daughter Shonda (Steve) Cornell; grandchildren Rachel and Ryan; step-grandchildren Gabe, Levi and Faith; and former husband, Leonard Lukasik.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Dorothy (Lanning) Murray; father James L. Murray; sister Bettie Cornish; and two baby brothers.

She gave her life to save her granddaughter.

Memorials in Sue’s name may be made to the Rachel Lukasik Burn Account, C/O Wells Fargo, 1400 3rd St. NW, Great Falls, MT, 59404 to help her granddaughter in the Salt Lake Burn Center.


- See more at: http://www.schniderfuneralhome.com

 The Cascade County Sheriff's Office released the names of the passengers and they are all from Cascade County.

The woman who died was 67-year-old Susan Majerus.

Passengers 68-year-old Robert Majerus and 11-year-old Rachel Lukasik survived the crash along with the pilot 55-year-old Christopher Wilsey.

Rachel was flown to a Salt lake City Burn Facility and the other two were taken to Benefis Hospital.

The sheriff did not know the conditions of the survivors.

The NTSB and FAA are still investigating the crash.






  


  NBC Right Now/KNDO/KNDU Tri-Cities, Yakima, WA |  



 An investigation continued Wednesday into the fatal crash of a light aircraft in the Little Belt Mountains near Showdown Ski Area on Tuesday afternoon. 

Cascade County Sheriff Bob Edwards said in a news release Wednesday that investigators from the National Transportation and Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration were on scene investigating the crash.

Four people were aboard the plane, Edwards said, three of whom survived with injuries including burns from a fire. Edwards said he didn’t know the survivors’ current condition, other then one was flown to a burn center in Salt Lake City. The remaining two survivors are hospitalized at Benefis in Great Falls.

Because not all family members had not yet been notified, Edwards declined to release the name of the deceased Wednesday afternoon.

The plane was based at the Holman Aviation facility at Great Falls International Airport, said Holman financial officer Roxann Tveter.

The single-engine Cessna Cardinal had taken off from Great Falls at about 1 p.m. Tuesday, airport authorities said previously. Minutes later, it crashed 30 miles southeast of Great Falls, at the edge of the King’s Hill Winter Recreation Area parking lot a quarter-mile off of Highway 89.

Edwards said Tuesday that it appeared at least one survivor was able to make it to the highway and flag down help. A private vehicle had met a Belt Volunteer Ambulance crew between the crash site and Great Falls.


GREAT FALLS -- One person is dead and three others were injured after a small plane went down near Kings Hill Pass in Cascade County on Tuesday afternoon. 

Cascade County Sheriff Bob Edwards confirms that one person was killed in the crash; the victim's identity has not yet been released.

The plane took off from the Great Falls International Airport at around 1 p.m. on Tuesday and crashed near the parking lot of the Silver Crest Ski Area minutes later.

According to our reporter at the scene, debris from the plane is scattered over an area roughly 100 yards long.

We're told survivors of the crash flagged down someone driving down Highway 89 and directed them to call 911 for help.

Belt Ambulance was dispatched to take some of the victims to Benefis hospital in Great Falls and a Mercy Flight helicopter was called in for additional support. The nature and extent of their injuries has not been disclosed at this point.

The National Transportation Safety Board is handling the crash investigation and an agent is on the way to the crash scene.

Great Falls International Airport director John Faulkner says the plane was a Cessna Cardinal.

We are working to determine where the plane was headed.

According to STORMTracker meteorologist Mike Rawlins, adverse weather conditions were not present at the time of the crash.

Rawlins says the plane was flying with unlimited visibility and no ceiling, meaning a layer of clouds was not present.

At the time of the crash, wind speeds near Kings Hill Pass at and near ground level were around 10-15 mph, with gusts near 30 mph.

Rawlins says wind speeds weren't unusually strong in the area at the time, even at 10,000 feet above the surface. He says top wind speeds at that altitude were near 30-40 mph.

Stay with KRTV for continuous coverage of this breaking news.


GREAT FALLS - One person is dead and three others were injured when a small plane went down near Kings Hill Pass in Cascade County on Tuesday afternoon.

Cascade County Sheriff Bob Edwards confirmed one person died in the crash.

The plane took off from the Great Falls International Airport around 1 p.m. on Tuesday and crashed near the parking lot of the Silver Crest Ski Area minutes later.

Debris from the plane is scattered over an area roughly 100 yards long.

Survivors of the crash flagged down someone driving down Highway 89 and directed them to call 911 for help.

Belt ambulance was dispatched to transport some of the victims to Benefis Hospital in Great Falls and Mercy Flight was called for additional support.

The National Transportation Safety Board is handling the crash investigation and an agent is on the way to the crash scene.

Great Falls International Airport director John Faulkner said the plane was a single-engine Cardinal Cessna.

___________________________________

GREAT FALLS - A small plane with four people on board crashed Tuesday afternoon about 30 miles southeast of Great Falls.

The crash happened at about 1:20 p.m. in the vicinity of mile marker 30 on US Highway 89.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.

There was no immediate information on whether those on board the plane were seriously injured.

Check back for details as they become available.


One person was confirmed dead in a plane crash Tuesday in the Little Belts Mountains near Showdown Ski Area, after a light aircraft went down at the edge of the King's Hill Winter Recreation Area parking lot. 

It's unclear how many people were on board, but Cascade County Sheriff Bob Edwards said it appears a survivor made it to Highway 89 nearby to find help. A private vehicle had rendezvoused with a Belt Volunteer Ambulance crew between the crash site and Great Falls, he said.

John Faulkner with the Great Falls International Airport Authority said that the plane was a light single-engine Cessna Cardinal, and that it had departed from Great Falls about 1 p.m.

Airport crews thought that there were four people on board, he said. At least one person was being transported to a hospital in Salt Lake by Mercy Flight, he added.

Mercy Flight, Cascade County and several local agencies responded after the crash was reported around 1:20 p.m. Other responders included the U.S. Forest Service and Niehart Volunteer Fire Department. The crash occurred off mile marker 30 on Highway 89.

Faulkner said that investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board were en route to the scene Tuesday evening to determine the cause of the crash.


- Source:  http://www.greatfallstribune.com

 





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