Cessna 172N accident near Toston, Montana, October 15, 1982
On October 15, 1982 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N5325D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Toston, Montana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- October 15, 1982 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Toston, Montana
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5325D · no longer on the register · serial 17272520
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ELECTED TO PRACTICE SOME LANDINGS ON A GRAVEL ROAD. HE STATED THAT DURING THE FIRST APPROACH, HE WAS HIGH AND ELECTED TO GO AROUND. ON THE SECOND APPROACH, A LANDING WAS MADE. HOWEVER, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRSPEED WAS FAST AND THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO PORPOISE. WHEN IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT ROOM TO COMPLETE THE LANDING, A GO-AROUND WAS INITIATED. AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE AIRCRAFT'S LEFT STABILIZER STRUCK A FENCE POST. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED, THE NOSEWHEEL STRUCK AN IRRIGATION SYSTEM, AND THE PLANE NOSED OVER. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ABOUT 4700 FT.
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: 112 hours in all; 83 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 42 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,365 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 87 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C Belgrade MT at 11:15 am
- Destination: C Belgrade MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 167°F (75°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.