Cessna 140 accident near Butte, Montana, September 6, 1984
On September 6, 1984 at about 4:48 am local time, a Cessna 140, registered N77271, was substantially damaged in an accident near Butte, Montana (Bert Mooney-Silver Bow CO airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- September 6, 1984 · about 4:48 am local time
- Place
- Butte, Montana · Bert Mooney-Silver Bow CO · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N77271 · no longer on the register · serial 11484
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT TAXIED TO RWY 11 AND GOT OUT OF THE ACFT TO CHECK THE WIND. THE RWY LIGHTS WERE NOT OPERATING AT THE TIME. THE PILOT DECIDED THAT RWY 11 WAS THE MOST FAVORABLE RWY AND THE TAKEOFF WAS ATTEMPTED. THE WIND CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OFF THE ACCIDENT WERE FAVORING RWY 20. THE PILOT ELECTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF BECAUSE DURING THE GROUND RUN HE FELT THE WIND 'PUSHING HARD ON THE ACFT AND IT DIDN'T FEEL RIGHT.' IN HIS ATTEMPT TO STOP, THE ACFT RAN OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY AND THE LEFT LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED.
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: 550 hours in all; 48 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,015 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 23, 1983; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: MSO Missoula MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 5,101 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 210° at 17 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 am from BTM
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.