Cessna 172N accident near Helena, Montana, December 2, 1983
On December 2, 1983 at about 5:30 am local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N4818D, suffered minor damage in an accident near Helena, Montana (Helena 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).
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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 September 29, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 2, 1983 · about 5:30 am local time
- Place
- Helena, Montana · Helena · map
- 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
- N4818D · registry record · serial 17272367
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT PROPELLER STRUCK A PASSENGER WHO WAS ATTEMPING TO SWEEP SNOW OFF THE ACFT. THE PLT'S AND PASSENGER'S VERSION OF MISHAP VARY. THE PLT STATED HE INSTRUCTED THE PASSENGER TO STAY AWAY FROM THE ACFT. THE PASSENGER STATED THE PLT TOLDHIM TO SWEEP THE SNOW OFF THE ACFT AND THAT THE NEXT THING HE REMEMBERS 'IS HOLDING MY ARM AFTER IT HAD BEEN HIT.'
The NTSB's narratives can run to many pages; this is the opening. Read the full report at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database and is rewritten in plain English only where the NTSB used codes; the probable cause and narrative are the NTSB's own words. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DEN84LA034.