Piper PA-22-160 accident near Billings, Montana, September 10, 2003
On September 10, 2003 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-160, registered N9332D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Billings, Montana (Billings Logan International airport). 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 pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions which led to a loss of control and subsequent ground loop. A contributing factor was the wind gust.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 10, 2003 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Billings, Montana · Billings Logan International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-160 · all PA-22-160s on the register
- Registration
- N9332D · registry record · serial 22-6352
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While landing, a gust of wind pushed the tail up causing the pilot to lose control of the airplane. During the ground loop to the left the right wing, empennage and center section of the of the airplane sustained substantial damage. There was also damage to the right landing gear and the tail wheel. The wind at the time of the accident was reported to be from 230 degrees at 10 knots.
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: recreational
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,196 hours in all; 114 in this make and model; 72 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 1,172 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 19, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,221 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2002; 83 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GTF Great Falls MT at 10:00 pm
- Destination: BIL Billings MT
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 28R, 10,518 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,348 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 pm from BIL
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 N9332D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 SEA03LA188.