Piper PA-28-140 accident near Forsyth, Montana, April 8, 1990
On April 8, 1990 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N5628U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Forsyth, Montana. 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
AN UNEXPLAINED LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. A FACTOR WAS THE ROUGH UNSUITABLE TERRAIN IN WHICH THE FORCED LANDING WAS MADE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 8, 1990 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Forsyth, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N5628U · no longer on the register · serial 28-26424
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT TOOK OFF FROM A HAY FIELD WITH CALM WINDS. HE SAID THE ENGINE QUIT DURING INITIAL CLIMB, AND HE MADE A FORCED LANDING ACROSS AN OLD RAILROAD BED. DURING LANDING ROLL, THE PLANE CROSSED THE RAISED GRAVEL BED AND SHEARED THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR, THE NOSE GEAR AND DAMAGED THE ENGINE MOUNT AND FIREWALL. THE PILOT SAID HE THOUGHT WATER IN THE FUEL HAD CAUSED THE ENGINE TO QUIT, BUT NO WATER WAS FOUND IN THE SYSTEM DURING THE INVESTIGATION. A POST ACCIDENT ENGINE RUN BY AN A&P MECHANIC FAILED TO REVEAL ANY EVIDENCE TO EXPLAIN THE REPORTED ENGINE STOPPAGE.
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: 500 hours in all; 10 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
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 |
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.