Piper PA-18-150 accident near Rapids, Montana, August 9, 2003
On August 9, 2003 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N115HP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rapids, 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 failure of the landing gear tire valve stem and the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. The deflation of the tire and rough/uneven terrain were factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 2003 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Rapids, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N115HP · registry record · serial 18-8910
- 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 he over flew his intended landing site, a gravel road to determine its condition and the direction of the prevailing winds. He then made a standard traffic pattern entry landing to the east. The pilot reported that the gravel road was 25 feet wide, down sloping to the east and 1,000 feet in length that was "slightly winding." During the landing roll (decelerating through about 35-40 mph), the pilot determined that the aircraft was drifting right and he began correcting for the drift. He then noticed that the right tire was deflated and rolling on the rim. The aircraft's right wheel entered a shallow ditch at the edge of the road and the aircraft then departed the landing surface and traveled over rough down sloping terrain before nosing over and coming to rest inverted. The pilot, who held a mechanic's license, reported that upon examining the right wheel following the accident he found the wheel's valve stem to be broken.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 10,100 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 7,400 as pilot in command; 3,800 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,489 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 13, 2003; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GEY Greybull WY at 6:00 pm
- Destination: Park City MT
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from BIL, 26 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.