Cessna 182K accident near St. Ignatius, Montana, March 29, 1982
On March 29, 1982 at about 7:25 pm local time, a Cessna 182K, registered N2478Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near St. Ignatius, Montana (St. Ignatius Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. 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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 29, 1982 · about 7:25 pm local time
- Place
- St. Ignatius, Montana · St. Ignatius Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182K · all 182Ks on the register
- Registration
- N2478Q · registry record · serial 18257678
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE AND HIS PASSENGERS ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE AS MUCH SNOW AS POSSIBLE FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND THAT HE WAS CONFIDENT THAT THE PROPELLER BLAST WOULD BLOW AWAY WHATEVER SNOW REMAINED. ALTHOUGH THE WIND AT SURROUNDING STATIONS WAS GENERALLY REPORTED OUT OF THE NORTHWEST THE PILOT REPORTED THE WIND OUT OF THE EAST ON TAKEOFF. THE PILOT ELECTED TO TAKEOFF WITH 10 DEGREES OF FLAPS, THE MANUAL STATES TO USE 20 DEGREES TO REDUCE GROUND RUN ON SOFT FIELD TAKEOFFS. DURING TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT WAS HELD ON THE RUNWAY UNTIL 70 MPH IAS BEFORE ROTATION WAS ATTEMPTED. THIS IS 10 MPH OVER NORMAL ROTATION SPEED AND WAS USED TO COMPENSATE FOR THE STATED TAILWIND. THE AIRCRAFT LIFTED BRIEFLY OFF THE GROUND THEN SETTLED BACK ON THE RUNWAY. POWER WAS PULLED AND THE AIRCRAFT SLID OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND NOSED DOWN INTO THE BANK OF A SMALL CREEK.
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
- Flight time: 147 hours in all; 99 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 113 as pilot in command; 34 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,412 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 52S St. Ignatius MT at 12:25 pm
- Destination: Kalispell MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 2,500 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 104°F (40°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:51 pm from MSO, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.