Piper PA-18A-150 accident near Laurel, Montana, June 12, 2003
On June 12, 2003 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18A-150, registered N5779D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Laurel, Montana. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Aircraft control was not maintained during the landing roll. The aircraft subsequently nosed over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 12, 2003 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Laurel, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18A-150 · all PA-18A-150s on the register
- Registration
- N5779D · registry record · serial 18-5295
- 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 she was practicing short field landings. The first wheel landing to a full stop was made within 300 feet. During the second landing roll, the pilot was again attempting to stop within 300 feet. The pilot stated that "I kept the tail too high in the wheel landin. (sic) I then reduced the power with the tail high and full brake at a low speed. The loss of air flow over the tail caused the slow forward roll over of the aircraft." The aircraft came to rest inverted.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,700 hours in all; 320 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 1,390 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 15, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,333 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 5, 2003; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RED Red Lodge MT at 5:15 pm
- Destination: Laurel MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 40, 1,300 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from BIL, 13 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N5779D 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.