Piper PA-28-160 accident near Laurel, Montana, June 2, 2006
On June 2, 2006 at about 8:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-160, registered N1123W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Laurel, Montana (Laurel Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of maintenance personnel to properly reinstall the left-hand control yoke to the left-hand control column, and the failure of other maintenance personnel to properly verify the installation, which resulted in the pilot's loss of control in flight while maneuvering and subsequent impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 2, 2006 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Laurel, Montana · Laurel Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-160 · all PA-28-160s on the register
- Registration
- N1123W · registry record · serial 28-771
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the recent annual inspection the left-hand control yoke had been removed from the left-hand control column in compliance with a current FAA airworthiness directive; the control yoke was subsequently reinstalled to its respective control column. After taking off and beginning a left turn, the pilot experienced no aileron control input, impacting terrain in a nose low attitude. A post-accident examination revealed that the left-hand control yoke had not been properly reinstalled or verified that that installation was correct.
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: 190 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 190 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,650 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2006; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6S8 Laurel MT at 8:20 pm
- Destination: BIL Billings MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04, 5,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 7:56 pm from BIL, 10 miles away
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 SEA06LA109.