Cessna 152 accident near Hamilton, Montana, August 17, 2003
On August 17, 2003 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N68281, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hamilton, Montana (Ravalli County Airport). It was an instructional 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 improper flare which resulted in a hard landing. A factor was the improper recovery from the bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 17, 2003 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hamilton, Montana · Ravalli County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N68281 · no longer on the register · serial 15282227
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said his airspeed was a little faster than he would normally use as the aircraft touched down on its main landing gear and bounced. On the second contact with the runway he applied back pressure on the yoke and it bounced again, about 12 feet high. Prior to the third bounce, the pilot again applied back pressure on the control yoke causing it to bounce high again. As the airplane was now going too slow, the pilot felt that adding power would only make the problem worse. The airplane contacted the runway the fourth time with all three landing gear, causing the nose gear to buckle, impacting the firewall. The aircraft came to rest on its nose and left wing with the tail projecting 45 degrees into the air. The pilot reported that no power was added for recovery in spite of his prior instruction and practice in hard landing recovery. Post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed damage to the firewall and left wing.
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: 98 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 21 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,641 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 30, 2003; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6S5 Hamilton MT at 7:00 pm
- Destination: 6S5 Hamilton MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 4,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast; a few clouds
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from MSO, 44 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.