Spotted Bear - Spotted Bear

On August 17, 1953 at 12:00 AM, Spotted Bear - Spotted Bear experienced a crash involving Ford 5, operated by Johnson Flying Service, with the event recorded near Kalispell Montana.

The flight was categorized as survey / patrol / reconnaissance and the reported phase was flight at a plain, valley crash site.

7 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 7 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 6, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. The three engine aircraft left Spotted Bear-US Forest Service Airport with a pilot and six smoke jumpers on board. While flying at low height over the Flathead Indian Reserve located south of Kalispell, the aircraft suffered a simultaneous failure of all three engines. It stalled and crashed in a wooded area. All seven occupants were injured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Aircraft reference details include registration N69905, MSN 5-AT-040, year of manufacture 9.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 48.2022°, -114.3153°.