On August 12, 2013, about 1130 mountain daylight time (MDT), a Beech E-35, N3226C, impacted terrain while landing at Yellowstone Airport (WYS), West Yellowstone, Montana. The airplane was registered to Avery Enterprises, Inc. and operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The commercial pilot was fatally injured, and the one passenger sustained serious injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage by impact forces. The cross-country business flight departed Rigby, Idaho, sometime after 1000 with a planned destination of Tioga, North Dakota. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
Witnesses at WYS reported the accident pilot attempted to make radio contact on the airport Unicom frequency (123.0) but the pilot did not respond to the fix base operator’s replies. The accident airplane was observed making a low approach down runway 19 between 100-200 feet above ground level, with the landing gear extended. When the witnesses next observed the airplane, it was on the downwind, about 50-75 feet above them. The landing gear was still in the extended position, and the engine sounds were normal.
One witness watched the airplane as it turned onto the base leg. It appeared to him that the plane had overflown final and was attempting to correct by increasing the angle of bank. The witness then saw the airplane descend in a nose low attitude until it impacted the ground.