Piper J3C-65 accident near Billings, Montana, January 30, 1984
On January 30, 1984 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Piper J3C-65, registered N6741H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Billings, Montana (Billings Logan airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- January 30, 1984 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Billings, Montana · Billings Logan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C-65 · all J3C-65s on the register
- Registration
- N6741H · registry record · serial 19952
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT DURING TAKEOFF A GUST OF WIND BLEW THE ACFT TO THE RIGHT AND HE DECIDED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. DURINGTHE ABORT THE ACFT DEPARTED THE RWY, WENT DOWN A BANK AND CAME TO REST UPSIDE DOWN.
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: 137 hours in all; 115 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 69 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,982 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 19, 1984; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: BTM Butte MT
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 27R, 10,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:25 pm from BIL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.