Cessna 170B accident near Billings, Montana, November 18, 2006
On November 18, 2006 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N2619D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Billings, Montana (Billings Logan International airport). It was an instructional 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 flight instructor's inadequate remedial action to maintain directional control, which resulted in a ground loop/swerve during takeoff roll. A factor was the failure of the pilot who was receiving instruction to maintain directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 18, 2006 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Billings, Montana · Billings Logan International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2619D · registry record · serial 20771
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The winds were from 220 degrees at 12 knots for the instructional flight. The first takeoff and landing on runway 28R in the tailwheel-equipped airplane were uneventful. According to the private pilot receiving instruction, he added power to begin the second takeoff roll, and the airplane "began to weathervane to the left into the wind." He stated that he "did not apply enough right rudder or right brake to avoid/overcome the left turning tendency the crosswind and P-Factor caused." He reduced power to idle, and with the airplane moving at a speed of 10 to 15 knots heading about 30 degrees left of runway heading, the pilot receiving instruction "took out the full left aileron deflection [he] was holding since [they] were now pointing into the wind and actually went partial right aileron." At this point, the flight instructor took control of the airplane. However, the instructor was unable to regain directional control, and the airplane swerved to the left, the left wing lifted, and the right wing struck the runway.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 256 hours in all; 103 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,755 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BIL Billings MT at 3:15 pm
- Destination: BIL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28R, 10,518 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from BIL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N2619D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.