Piper PA-18-105 accident near Laurel, Montana, May 1, 2004
On May 1, 2004 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-105, registered N5483H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Laurel, Montana. It was a personal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance/altitude while maneuvering resulting in the inadvertent in-flight collision with water/terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 1, 2004 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Laurel, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-105 · all PA-18-105s on the register
- Registration
- N5483H · registry record · serial 18-74
- 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 and his wife were sightseeing along the Yellowstone River just south of Laurel, Montana, when he spotted what he described as unusual animal tracks on a gravel sand bar adjacent to the river. He applied one notch of flaps and executed a 180 degree course reversal for a "low and slow look." The aircraft subsequently struck the water and nosed over. The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction or failure with the aircraft or its powerplant/systems.
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
What happened, in order
- IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER during maneuvering
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, none, none
- Flight time: 903 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 76 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 903 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 15, 2003
- Medical certificate: class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,317 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, March 17, 2004; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: BIL Billings MT at 5:57 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scattered at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°C, dew point 21°C
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from BIL, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N5483H 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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 SEA04LA077.