Accident Beechcraft 99 Airliner N199GL, Tuesday 17 August 2004

Date:	Tuesday 17 August 2004
Time:	23:40
Type:	Beechcraft 99 Airliner
Owner/operator:	Alpine Aviation
Registration:	N199GL
MSN:	U-15
Year of manufacture:	1968
Total airframe hrs:	40521 hours
Engine model:	Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-27
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	11 km NE of Neihart, MT - United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Cargo
Departure airport:	Billings-Logan International Airport, MT (BIL/KBIL)
Destination airport:	Kalispell-Glacier National Park Airport, MT (FCA/KFCA)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The airplane departed Billings at 23:05 carrying 2,665 pounds of mail on behalf of the U.S. Postal Service to Kalispell.
The airplane flew into the southern slope of Mt. Baldy in the middle of a large skree field approximately 150 feet below the summit, at an altitude of 9,079 feet amsl (2767 m).

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The pilot's failure to maintain adequate terrain clearance during cruise, which resulted in the in-flight collision with mountainous terrain. Dark night conditions and mountainous terrain were contributing factors."

Accident investigation: