Cessna 182P accident near Ashland, Montana, April 14, 1983
On April 14, 1983 at about 1:40 pm local time, a Cessna 182P, registered N9891E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ashland, Montana (Wash Ranch airport). 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
- April 14, 1983 · about 1:40 pm local time
- Place
- Ashland, Montana · Wash Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182P · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N9891E · no longer on the register · serial 18263952
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT LIFTED OFF EARLY, STALLED, DROPPED A WING AND CARTWHEELED TO A STOP. THE LEFT MAIN GEAR WAS SHEARED OFF IN THE IMPACT. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF FROM HIS OWN RANCH AIRSTRIP A HORSE RAN OUT ON THE RWY IN FRONT OF THE ACFT. HE SAID THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH DISTANCE TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF SO HE ROTATED EARLY TO TRY AND FLY OVER THE HORSE, BUT THE ACFT STALLED AND DROPPED BACK TO THE RWY.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 1,100 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 1,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 262 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 24, 1982; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 3U4 Ashland MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 1,600 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:40 pm from MLS, 74 miles away
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.