Piper PA-61 Aerostar (Ted Smith 601) crash, Dec 30, 2004
Piper PA-61 Aerostar (Ted Smith 601) accident on December 30, 2004 near Hamilton-Ravalli County, Montana, United States with no fatalities. Cause:...
- Date: December 30, 2004
- Aircraft: Piper PA-61 Aerostar (Ted Smith 601)
- Location: Hamilton-Ravalli County, Montana, United States
- Fatalities: 0
- Phase of flight: Takeoff and climb
- Cause: Partial loss of left engine power from lubrication failure and seizure of the right turbocharger for undetermined reasons, followed by a forced landing after takeoff on unsuitable terrain.
A Piper PA-61 Aerostar took off from Hamilton with a single occupant bound for Stevensville. Shortly after gear retraction the left engine lost power, and the aircraft veered left into sloping terrain and burned. The NTSB linked the power loss to a frozen right turbocharger impeller caused by lack of lubrication.