Dornier DO27A4 accident near Marion, Montana, May 8, 2004
On May 8, 2004 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Dornier DO27A4, registered N276MK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Marion, Montana (Cabin Creek Landing Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper landing flare resulting in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 8, 2004 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Marion, Montana · Cabin Creek Landing Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dornier DO27A4 · all DO27A4s on the register
- Registration
- N276MK · registry record · serial 383
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Approaching the destination airfield, the pilot reported rain showers were present and the weather was deteriorating. The pilot elected to use the slip maneuver on her landing approach, taking out 90 percent of the slip prior to the airplane touching down hard on its left main landing gear. Witnesses attending the fly-in reported that the left main landing gear was bent and the left door wouldn't operate properly. Later in the afternoon the pilot asked several other pilots their opinions on the left landing gear, and 5 or 6 pilots said it was solid. After securing the left door with rope, the pilot then flew the airplane to her home base. Substantial damage to the airplane was discovered two months after the accident as the aircraft was being repaired. The accident was reported to the FAA on November 4, 2004.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,820 hours in all; 37 in this make and model; 73 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 1,668 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming GO 480 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 53U Ferndale MT at 4:30 pm
- Destination: 97MT Marion MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 02, 3,400 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from FCA, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.