Piper PA-11 accident near Alzada, Montana, June 21, 2003
On June 21, 2003 at about 2:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-11, registered N4565M, was destroyed in an accident near Alzada, 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
The student pilot's failure to maintain adequate flying airspeed in a turn while maneuvering close to the ground resulting in a stall condition. A contributing factor was the turbulent wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 21, 2003 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Alzada, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-11 · all PA-11s on the register
- Registration
- N4565M · registry record · serial 1168
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot, who had logged at least 93 hours of flight time in the accident aircraft (total time), was engaged in livestock spotting at low altitude (200 feet above ground) in turbulent conditions with a wind out of the northwest estimated at 20 knots. During a 40-degree angle of bank, right 180 degree turn, the aircraft's angle of bank exceeded 90 degrees and the pilot applied full left aileron and rudder with no effect. The aircraft continued a rolling right descent and when about 80-90 feet above ground, the roll reversed into a left roll during which the left wingtip and nose impacted the ground. The aircraft cartwheeled counter-clockwise 270 degrees to a stop during which the engine separated from the airframe. A post-crash fire consumed the aircraft.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 93 hours in all; 93 in this make and model; 77 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,803 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 28, 2002
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C90 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Pilster Ranch MT at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,300 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.61 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from BHK, 74 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.
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.