Cessna 172 accident near Loma, Montana, May 18, 1985
On May 18, 1985 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N6462D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Loma, Montana. 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
- May 18, 1985 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Loma, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N6462D · registry record · serial 17272813
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CONTACTED POWER LINES WHICH CROSS OVER THE MISSOURI RIVER. THE LINES ARE APRX 150-200 FT ABOVE THE RIVER ON ONE SIDE AND APRX 45 FT ABOVE THE RIVER ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE. THE PLT STATED HE WAS FLYING ALONG THE RIVER AT AN ALT OF APRX 75 FT WHEN CONTACT WITH THE WIRE OCCURRED. CONTROL OF THE ACFT WAS REGAINED AND THE FLT CONTINUED TO AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING AT GREAT FALLS, MT. THE WIRE STRIKE RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO BOTH WINGS.
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: 1,500 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 7, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Havre MT at 6:30 pm
- Destination: Great Falls MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°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.