Piper PA-24-250 accident near Billings, Montana, July 9, 1982
On July 9, 1982 at about 2:19 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N5356P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Billings, Montana (Billings-Logan Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 1982 · about 2:19 pm local time
- Place
- Billings, Montana · Billings-Logan Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N5356P · registry record · serial 24404
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT DECIDED TO LAND ENROUTE DUE WX. AT 0803 HE CONTACTED BILLINGS FSS & WAS ADVISED BILLINGS WX WAS 5,000 FT BROKEN. AT 0809 HE CALLED BILLINGS APPROACH CONTROL (A/C) & ADVISED HE WAS 20 MI FOR LANDING. ENROUTE TO ARPT HE WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE ARPT DUE WX UNTIL 0818 WHEN TOWER CLEARED TO LAND ON RWY 4. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 2/3 DOWN THE RWY, SKIDDED OFF THE RWY TO A POINT WHERE THE GROUND DROPS OFF ABRUPTLY. THE ACFT WAS THEN AIRBORNE FOR ANOTHER 130 FT BEFOREIMPACTING THE GROUND IN A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE. AT NO TIME DURING THE RAPIDLY DETERIORATING WX CONDITIONS WERE SPECIALWX OBSERVATIONS TAKEN. DURING THE APPROACH THE PLT WAS INSTRUCTED TO DESCEND TO 4,000 FT. THE ARPT ELEVATION IS 3,649 FT. THE PLT NEVER MENTIONED HE HAD RECEIVED THE ATIS INFO WHICH INDICATED WINDS FROM THE SW, NOR DID A/C OR THE TOWER ADVISE THE PLT OF THE DOWNWIND CONDITIONS.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,320 hours in all; 370 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 3,216 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,982 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C Casper WY at 6:45 am
- Destination: C Great Falls MT
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 4, 5,704 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 133°F (56°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:35 am from BIL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DEN82AA132.