Amateur-built BOBCAT accident near Billings, Montana, March 23, 1989
On March 23, 1989 at about 9:30 pm local time, a amateur-built BOBCAT, registered N80927, was destroyed in an accident near Billings, Montana (Oscar'S Greenland airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY STALLED THE AIRCRAFT AT AN ALTITUDE WHICH WAS TOO LOW TO PERMIT RECOVERY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 23, 1989 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Billings, Montana · Oscar'S Greenland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BOBCAT
- Registration
- N80927 · no longer on the register · serial 2511
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RECEIVED A HEAD INJ IN THE ACDT AND SAID HE DID NOT REMEMBER THE DETAILS OF THE FLT. THE WRECKAGE OF THE MODIFIED ULTRALIGHT WAS LOCATED ON THE AIRPORT 200' E AND 150' S OF THE W END OF THE E/W RWY. THE INITIAL IMPACT PT WAS 8' W OF THE FINAL RESTING PLACE OF THE WRECKAGE. DAMAGE TO THE ACFT WAS CONCENTRATED ON THE FRONT OF THE ACFT. THE REAR SPARS OF BOTH WINGS WERE BROKEN AND THE WINGS WERE BENT FORWARD. THE PLT SAID HE THOUGHT THE ENG LOST POWER; HOWEVER, HE SAID EXAMINATION OF THE ENG AND WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEAL ANY DEFICIENCIES.
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: 586 hours in all; 43 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 43 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, February 27, 1989; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 600 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 447 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 2,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.