Piper PA-18A accident near Zurich, Montana, July 15, 2003
On July 15, 2003 at about 1:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-18A, registered N6792B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Zurich, Montana. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 2003 · about 1:40 pm local time
- Place
- Zurich, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18A · all PA-18As on the register
- Registration
- N6792B · registry record · serial 18-5026
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting low level predator control operations in a slow flight mode with flaps at 1/2. During a left turn from the west to the east, at 30 to 40 feet above ground level, the pilot felt the initial indications of the airplane entering a stall. As the wings were rolled level the aircraft entered a secondary stall, subsequently impacting the ground in a slight nose down, wings level attitude.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,948 hours in all; 234 in the last 90 days; 85 in the last 30 days; 6,824 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 11, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,123 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 2, 2003; 79 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Prairie Aviation, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: S71 Chinook MT at 12:00 pm
- Destination: S71 Zurich MT
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from HVR, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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 SEA03LA140.