Cessna 182 accident near Forsyth, Montana, July 17, 1983
On July 17, 1983 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 182, registered N5479B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Forsyth, Montana (Tillitt 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
- July 17, 1983 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Forsyth, Montana · Tillitt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N5479B · no longer on the register · serial 33479
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLT ORIGINATED AT CAMBRIDGE, ID WITH A PLANNED REFUELING STOP AT BILLINGS, MT. THE PLT STATED THE ACFT WAS 'TOPPED OFF' AT CAMBRIDGE BEFORE TAKEOFF. EN ROUTE, SOUTHERLY WINDS WERE ENCOUNTERED WHICH DRIFTED THE ACFT NORTH, SO A REFUELING STOP WAS MADE AT ROUNDUP, MT. NO FUEL WAS AVAILABLE & THE PLT ESTIMATED 15 GAL WAS REMAINING, S0 HE ELECTED TO FLY 81 MI TO FORSYTH, MT. DURING ARRIVAL AT FORSYTH, THE ENG LOST POWER. DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING, THE ACFT WENT THRU A FENCE, THEN HIT ANOTHER FENCE & 2 TREES. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE DRAINED 5 GAL OF FUEL FROM THE ACFT (WHICH WAS LEAKING FUEL). THE ACFT HELD 3.5 GAL OF UNUSABLE FUEL. LATER, THE ENG WAS STARTED & RUN TO 1500 RPM, BUT NO HIGHER DUE TO A BENT BLADE. AN EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED NO PREIMPACT DISCREPANCIES. THE TEMP WAS 88 DEG, BUT THE DEW POINT WAS UNKNOWN. APRX 9 GAL OF FUEL WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED TO FLY TO FORSYTH FROM ROUNDUP.
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: 1,375 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 1,375 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 15, 1983; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RPX Roundup MT at 8:21 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 4,800 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.