Cessna TR182 accident near Spotted Bear, Montana, August 28, 2008
On August 28, 2008 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna TR182, registered N5523T, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Spotted Bear, Montana (Spotted Bear (Usfs) airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the variable wind conditions and failure to maintain adequate airspeed during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 2008 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Spotted Bear, Montana · Spotted Bear (Usfs) · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna TR182 · all TR182s on the register
- Registration
- N5523T · registry record · serial R18201884
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot flew over the destination airport and observed the runway's windsock before initiating a normal approach for landing. On short final approach the airplane's rate of descent rapidly increased. Despite the pilot's application of engine power, the airplane impacted the runway hard in a nose-low attitude. The pilot reported that he subsequently observed that the wind had reversed direction. He opined that the airplane's loss of lift was related to his failure to adequately compensate for the variable wind condition. No mechanical failures or malfunctions were reported by the pilot.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Variable wind › Response/compensation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 750 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 675 as pilot in command; 450 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 1, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,033 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-L3C5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Minuteman Aviation, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: MSO Missoula MT at 5:20 pm
- Destination: 8U4 Spotted Bear MT
- Runway 32, 3,899 ft by 78 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,500 ft; a few clouds
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.