Amateur-built Avid Magnum accident near Big Timber, Montana, May 16, 2006
On May 16, 2006 at about 2:00 am local time, a amateur-built Avid Magnum, registered N124WT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Big Timber, Montana (Private Airstrip 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 failure to maintain directional control after he diverted his attention to close the aircraft's door during the takeoff roll. Factors include a fence and fence post along the side of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 2006 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Big Timber, Montana · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Avid Magnum
- Registration
- N124WT · registry record · serial 124M
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
At the beginning of his takeoff roll, the aircraft door popped open, so the pilot shut it. Then a few moments later, the door popped open again, and the pilot closed it a second time. While he was closing the door for the second time, the aircraft veered off the left side of the runway. At that point, the pilot saw that the aircraft was heading for a gate post and a fence, so he pulled the stick back in hopes of clearing the obstacles. But, the aircraft's left wing impacted the post, and the aircraft spun around about 200 degrees, and came to rest with its right wing entangled in the fence structure. After the accident, the pilot stated that his attempt to close the door had distracted him, and that he should have put 100 percent of his attention on the takeoff, and taken care of the door after he was airborne.
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: 1,941 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Big Timber MT
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- 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.