Piper PA22-20 accident near Wht Sulphur Spg, Montana, August 1, 2004
On August 1, 2004 at about 1:50 pm local time, a Piper PA22-20, registered N3838P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wht Sulphur Spg, Montana (White Sulphur Springs Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the private pilot receiving flight training for a tail wheel endorsement to maintain aircraft control, and his excessive braking during the landing roll, subsequently nosing over the airplane. A contributing factor was the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the trainee.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 2004 · about 1:50 pm local time
- Place
- Wht Sulphur Spg, Montana · White Sulphur Springs Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA22-20 · all PA22-20s on the register
- Registration
- N3838P · registry record · serial 22-3528
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that he was getting his tail wheel endorsement and 15 hours flight time (with an instructor) for aircraft insurance purposes. He said that he had landed the airplane, and during the rollout, the airplane swerved. He said that he applied the brakes too hard, and the airplane nosed over on the runway. The left wing strut was bent, and the vertical stabilizer was bent and wrinkled.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 65 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 25 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 24, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,300 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 56 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 7,150 as pilot in command; 300 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 5, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,878 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 9, 2004; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BZN Bozeman MT at 1:00 pm
- Destination: BZN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 6,100 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 1:56 pm from BZN, 34 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.