Pilatus PC-6/B2-H4 accident near Great Falls, Montana, July 21, 2001
On July 21, 2001 at about 7:31 pm local time, a Pilatus PC-6/B2-H4, registered N2TS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Great Falls, Montana (Great Falls Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
Pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft while landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 21, 2001 · about 7:31 pm local time
- Place
- Great Falls, Montana · Great Falls Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pilatus PC-6/B2-H4 · all PC-6/B2-H4s on the register
- Registration
- N2TS · no longer on the register · serial 936
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to a written report submitted by the operator, the pilot was landing the tail-wheel equipped airplane on runway 03. Shortly after touchdown, during the roll-out, the pilot manually unlocked the airplane's tail wheel. Upon releasing the tail-wheel lock, "...directional control of the airplane was lost." The airplane subsequently ground looped resulting in substantial damage to the right wing. The 1257 METAR observation at Great Falls reported winds from 070 degrees at 6 knots. The accident report submitted by the operator indicated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the aircraft that may have contributed to the accident.
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: 2,850 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 2,080 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 21, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 119.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2001; 43.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,160 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W Canada PT6A-27 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Wolf Creek MT at 7:45 pm
- Destination: GTF Great Falls MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 030, 10,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 052° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 6:57 pm from GTF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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 SEA01LA139.