Piper PA 20 accident near Hamilton, Montana, July 12, 2019
On July 12, 2019 at about 6:30 pm local time, a 1950 Piper PA 20, registered N7409K, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Hamilton, Montana (Ravalli County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of directional control due to his unintentional use of brakes instead of the rudder during the landing roll, which resulted in a nose-over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 12, 2019 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hamilton, Montana · Ravalli County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 20 Undesignat, built 1950 · all PA 20s on the register
- Registration
- N7409K · no longer on the register · serial 20-318
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, upon landing and approaching the taxiway he intended to exit, he lifted his feet from the "rudderbars" to engage the brakes. The airplane abruptly entered a left turn, and he thought he used the right rudder, but he mistakenly used brake pedal. Immediately thereafter, the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing lift strut and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that he believes the accident could have been avoided "if [he] had kept [his] feet on the rudderbars until [the airplane] had exited the runway."
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 control on ground during landing defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Unintentional use/operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 726 hours in all; 460 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 595 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 5, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,433.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 13, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2A (piston); 4,050 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6S5 Hamilton MT at 5:20 pm
- Destination: 6S5 Hamilton MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 4,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 6:35 pm from K6S5, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
1 document, released by the NTSB on September 9, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accident Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N7409K 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.