Boeing STEARMAN E75 accident near Kalispell, Montana, August 30, 1984
On August 30, 1984 at about 3:20 pm local time, a Boeing STEARMAN E75, registered N5183N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kalispell, Montana. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was killed. 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, 1984 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- Kalispell, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing STEARMAN E75 STEARMAN E
- Registration
- N5183N · no longer on the register · serial 75-5603
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS COMPLETING A TURN TO FINAL ON A NORMAL AERIAL APPLICATION MANEUVER. HE WAS APRX 15 FT AGL AT 65 MPH WHEN THE A/C STRUCK A BIRD (PRESUMED TO BE A RED TAILED HAWK). THE FORCE OF THE IMPACT BROKE THE PLEXIGLASS CANOPY AND TEMPORARILY DISTRACTED THE PILOT. A SPLIT SECOND LATER THE ACFT CONTACTED THE SOFT DIRT, THE NOSE DUG IN AND THE ACFT FLIPPED OVER.
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: 3,400 hours in all; 3,300 in this make and model; 182 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,025 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,717 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985-AN (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FCA Kalispell MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 029° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:54 am from FCA
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.