Cessna 170B accident near Big Sky, Montana, May 16, 1987
On May 16, 1987 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N1979C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Big Sky, Montana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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 16, 1987 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Big Sky, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N1979C · no longer on the register · serial 26124
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PLT WAS FLYING CROSS COUNTRY IN DETERIORATING WEATHER CONDITIONS. FOG WAS FORECAST AND LIGHT RAIN WAS IN PROGRESS. THE FLT ENCOUNTERED LESS THAN VFR CONDITIONS IN A MOUNTAINOUS AREA AND REVERSED COURSE. WEATHER WAS BELOW VFR ON THE REVERSE COURSE ALSO. THE PLT ELECTED TO CIRCLE FOR AN HOUR WAITING FOR VFR CONDITIONS. A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING WAS ATTEMPTED TO A LOGGING ROAD. DURING ROLL OUT, THE ACFT DEPARTED THE ROAD TO THE LEFT AND THE LEFT MAIN GEAR STRUCK AN EMBANKMENT AND FAILED. THE ACFT PIVOTED TO THE LEFT AND CAME TO REST LEFT WING 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: 300 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 247 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,950 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 10, 1986; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 29S Gardiner MT at 3:45 pm
- Destination: 6S5 Hamilton MT
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N1979C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.