Cessna 172M accident near Three Forks, Montana, March 21, 1990
On March 21, 1990 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N80830, was substantially damaged in an accident near Three Forks, Montana (Three Forks airport). 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
PILOT'S MISJUDGED LANDING FLARE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 21, 1990 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Three Forks, Montana · Three Forks · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N80830 · registry record · serial 17266764
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL PILOT MISJUDGED THE FLARE DURING LANDING. THE PLANE DROPPED ONTO THE RUNWAY, BOUNCED INTO THE AIR, AND LANDED HARD. THE PILOT TAXIED TO THE RAMP, VISUALLY INSPECTED THE PLANE, AND REPORTED MINOR DAMAGE. THE NOSE GEAR WAS BENT, THE FIREWALL WAS DAMAGED AND RIVETS WERE POPPED IN THE SKIN. AN FAA INSPECTOR LATER DISCOVERED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
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, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,900 hours in all; 88 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 1,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BZN Bozeman MT at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0, 4,100 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
Other NTSB records under N80830 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.