Cessna 182G accident near St. Xavier, Montana, May 3, 1989
On May 3, 1989 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 182G, registered N3410S, was substantially damaged in an accident near St. Xavier, Montana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED WHILE MANEUVERING FOR A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A FAILURE OF THE NUMBER TWO PISTON. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 1989 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- St. Xavier, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182G · all 182Gs on the register
- Registration
- N3410S · registry record · serial 18255810
- 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 LOOKING FOR COWS ON HIS RANCH, AT 200 FT AGL, WITH 20 DEG FLAPS. THE PLT SAID HE FLEW THE ACFT THROUGH A LIGHT RAIN SHOWER. THE PLT SAID THE ENGINE BEGAN TO MISS, AND HE REDUCED PWOER. THE ACFT BEGAN LOSING ALTITUDE AND HE ADDED POWER. THE ENGINE QUIT AND SMOKE ENTERED THE CABIN. THE PLT SAID HE BANKED THE ACFT AND IT STALLED. THE ACFT STRUCK THE GROUND AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE WING STRUCK SAGE BRUSH AND THE ACFT NOSED DOWN. A POST ACCIDENT ENGINE TEARDOWN PROVIDED EVIDENCE THAT THE NUMBER TWO PISTON DISINTEGRATED. THE LOG BOOKS SHOWED THAT THE PISTON HAD BEEN IN SERVICE 662 HOURS.
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: 1,425 hours in all; 1,400 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 1,425 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,384 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 22, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Montana-Wyoming Systems, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 6:20 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 40 knots, gusting 50
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.