Piper PA-18 accident near Poplar, Montana, December 25, 1984
On December 25, 1984 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N3180Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Poplar, Montana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- December 25, 1984 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Poplar, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N3180Z · no longer on the register · serial 18-7171
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT HE WAS FLYING THE ACFT 'LOW AND SLOW' TO LOOK FOR DEER WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. HE STATED THAT HE PULLED THE POWER BACK TO GLIDE DOWN AND OBSERVE WILDLIFE AND WHEN HE REAPPLIED POWER THERE WAS SEVERE HESITATION AND THE ENG DID NOT PICK UP RPM. HE PUSHED THE NOSE DOWN TO GAIN AIRSPEED AND HIT A HILLTOP WITH THE LANDING GEAR. THE PLT DESCRIBED THE TERRAIN AS HILLY AND REPORTED THE WINDS TO BE AT 18 KTS GUSTING TO 26 KTS. THE TEMP WAS REPORTED AS -10 DEG F. CARBURETOR HEAT WAS NOT USED DURING THE GLIDE.
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: 1,300 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 1,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,647 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 18, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 18 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; not recorded at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: -9°F (-23°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.