Cessna A185F accident near Ovando, Montana, August 15, 1990
On August 15, 1990 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Cessna A185F, registered N8343Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ovando, Montana (Whitetail Ranch 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 MISJUDGEMENT OF ALTITUDE AND DISTANCE TO THE RUNWAY, WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, AND HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT FOR LANDING. THE FENCE WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 15, 1990 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ovando, Montana · Whitetail Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N8343Q · no longer on the register · serial 18503662
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND AT A PRIVATE GRASS STRIP, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A FENCE POST. DURING IMPACT, MOST OF THE RIGHT STABILIZER & ALL OF THE RIGHT ELEVATOR SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED FLYING & THE PILOT FLEW IT BACK TO THE POINT OF DEPARTURE & LANDED SUCCESSFULLY.
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: 1,500 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 53 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BZN Bozeman MT at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0, 2,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from HLN, 62 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.
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.