Cessna 140 accident near Red Lodge, Montana, April 21, 2000
On April 21, 2000 at about 4:50 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N3579V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Red Lodge, Montana (Red Lodge 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A high density altitude and inadequate preflight planning/preparation. Not attaining a proper climb rate, not maintaining a proper runway alignment, and gusting wind conditions were factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 21, 2000 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Red Lodge, Montana · Red Lodge · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N3579V · registry record · serial 14748
- 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 shortly after takeoff, the airplane attained an altitude of about five feet and began to drift to the right due to a gust of wind from the left. The pilot corrected with rudder control, however, the airplane continued to drift and would not accelerate or climb as expected. The pilot opted to reduce power and land next to the runway. During the landing roll, the left main landing gear collapsed. The pilot had calculated the density altitude at about 6,267 feet. He also utilized the aircraft's performance data to calculate the takeoff distance and climb rate. The data however, was based upon the installation of a standard propeller. The aircraft was equipped with a cruise pitch propeller. The pilot reported that he felt that the reason why the aircraft would not accelerate and climb as expected, was due to the cruise pitch propeller.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,942 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 111 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 2,169 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,045 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 27, 2000; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C90-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: CPR Casper WY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N3579V the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 SEA00LA076.