Piper PA 22 accident near Shelby, Montana, April 19, 2018
On April 19, 2018 at about 3:00 pm local time, a 1953 Piper PA 22, registered N1283C, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Shelby, Montana (Shelby airport). 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 improper use of the fuel selector, which resulted in fuel starvation to the engine and an off-runway landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 2018 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Shelby, Montana · Shelby · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 22 135, built 1953 · all PA 22s on the register
- Registration
- N1283C · registry record · serial 22-1079
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, while flying over the destination airport, the airplane's engine lost power. He initiated a glide, applied mixture full rich, and restarted the engine, but during the approach the engine lost power again. He checked the fuel gauges and the right gauge read between ¼ and ½ tank, and he switched to the left fuel tank which he knew was full. The engine restarted briefly, but then lost power. He added that, he "must not have put the selector in the [correct] position because [he] had plenty of fuel in the left tank." During the forced landing, the airplane landed off of the runway, rolled for about 20 to 25 ft., the left main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest on its nose. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during approach defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Landing gear collapse during landing
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel selector/shutoff valve › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Effect on equipment
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 200 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 1 in the last 30 days; 200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,790 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 12, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (piston); 2,790 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SBX Shelby MT at 1:20 pm
- Destination: SBX Shelby MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 5,005 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from KCTB, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number GAA18CA220.