Beech A23-19 accident near Helena, Montana, August 30, 1982
On August 30, 1982 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Beech A23-19, registered CFSPV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Helena, Montana (Wilhelm Ranch airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- August 30, 1982 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Helena, Montana · Wilhelm Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A23-19 · all A23-19s on the register
- Registration
- CFSPV · no longer on the register · serial MB74
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON A DIRT ROAD THAT IS ALSO USED AS A LANDING STRIP. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN APPROXIMATELY 1500 FEET AT THE DOWNHILL END OF THE RUNWAY, BALLOONED BY A WIND GUST AND MOVED TO THE EAST EXTREME OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT ADDED POWER AND TOUCHED DOWN AGAIN AND BALLOONED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH DISTANCE TO STOP BEFORE THE END OF THE RUNWAY. HE APPLIED POWER TO AVOID A DITCH AND LANDED IN A FIELD. THE PILOT ESTIMATED THAT THE WIND WAS FROM 300 DEG AT 8 GUSTING 20 KTS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,825 hours in all; 953 in this make and model; 69 in the last 90 days; 1,825 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,403 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 69 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HLN Helena MT at 1:35 pm
- Destination: Wilhelm Ranch MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 4,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 156°F (69°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from HLN, 8 miles away
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.
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.