Cessna 152 accident near Billings, Montana, February 16, 2000
On February 16, 2000 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N757XG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Billings, Montana (Billings Logan Intl. airport). It was an instructional 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
Directional control was not maintained. Inadequate remedial action was a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 16, 2000 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Billings, Montana · Billings Logan Intl. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N757XG · registry record · serial 15280081
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that he touched down and was adding power to take off again, when the airplane veered abruptly to the left. The pilot reduced power and the airplane traveled off the side of the runway into the snow. The pilot tried to maneuver the airplane to parallel the runway and eventually back onto the runway. However, the airplane slid to the left and tipped over onto the left wing and subsequently nosed over. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane at the time of the accident. The runway was dry, and the wind speed was three knots.
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: student
- Flight time: 20 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,470 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 29, 1999; 96 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BIL at 10:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 3,800 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 18,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from BIL
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.