- ACCIDENT DETAILS
Date: November 07, 1950
Time: 0815
Location: Near Butte, Montana
Operator: Northwest Orient Airlines
Flight #: 115
Route: Helena - Butte
AC Type: Martin 202
Registration: N93040
cn / ln: 9161
Aboard: 21   (passengers:17  crew:4)
Fatalities: 21   (passengers:17  crew:4)
Ground: 0
Summary: The flight originated at Chicago for Seattle via intermediate stops at Minneapolis, Billings, Great Falls and Helena. The aircraft left Helena at 0753 from runway 29. The aircraft's flight plan was to fly to 10,500 ft. via Amber Airway No .2 to Whitehall Station and to Butte via Red Airway No. 2. At 0801 the flight reported it reached cruising altitude and was headed toward Whitehall Range Station. This message was acknowledged. The next message from the flight was at 08:14 stating that it was over Whitehall Range Station and starting descent. Butte acknowledged this message and gave the flight the altimeter setting of 29.97, advised that the wind was south, calm, and the ceiling was lower to the east and north and better to the south and southwest. The flight replied that it had vertical visibility at 10,500 feet. This was the last radio contact with the flight. At approximately 0815 the aircraft had struck the eastern slope of a ridge about 30 feet below its crest, at an altitude of about 8,250 feet MSL. The site of impact was approximately 2 1/2 miles east of the control tower at the Butte Airport, and about 1-1/2 miles to the right of the center of the on course signal from Whitehall to Butte. Captain's failure to follow prescribed approach procedures.
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