Amateur-built Avid Flyer accident near Miles City, Montana, May 14, 2006
On May 14, 2006 at about 5:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Avid Flyer, registered N157VM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Miles City, Montana (Sunday Creek Airpark 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
Failure of the engine to propeller reduction gearbox for undetermined reasons. High vegetation was a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 14, 2006 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Miles City, Montana · Sunday Creek Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Avid Flyer
- Registration
- N157VM · no longer on the register · serial 0157
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The experimental amateur built airplane sustained substantial damage during an off-airport landing. The pilot reported that shortly after takeoff, approximately 250 feet above ground level (agl), the "reduction gear failed" and he was forced to land on a dirt road near the departure airstrip. During the landing, the airplane encountered tall vegetation and ground-looped resulting in substantial damage. Post accident inspection showed that the engine-to-propeller planetary style reduction gear housing was fractured. Further examination revealed that the center drive gear was damaged and heavy smearing was observed to the drive teeth. The reduction gear assembly was identified as a GRD 2000, manufactured by D&D Manufacturing. According to the pilot, D&D manufacturing is no longer in business. The pilot reported that he was not the aircraft's original owner/builder. The aircraft was powered by a 45-horsepower Cuyuna reciprocating gas engine.
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: 2,617 hours in all; 47 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cuyuna 430RR/RF (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MT29 Miles City MT
- Destination: MT29 Miles City MT
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.