Beech 3NM accident near Bozeman, Montana, December 9, 1990
On December 9, 1990 at about 10:26 pm local time, a Beech 3NM, registered N9159B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bozeman, Montana (Gallatin Field). It was a ferry 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE RIGHT ENGINE MASTER ROD.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 9, 1990 · about 10:26 pm local time
- Place
- Bozeman, Montana · Gallatin Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 3NM · all 3NMs on the register
- Registration
- N9159B · no longer on the register · serial CA 242
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A BEECH 3NM SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN THE RIGHT ENGINE MASTER ROD FAILED AND THE CRANKSHAFT SEIZED. THE PROPELLER SEPARATED AND STRUCK THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE, DOING STRUCTURAL DAMAGE AND SHEARING OFF A NOSE FUEL TANK. THE PILOT RETURNED SAFELY TO HIS DEPARTURE POINT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,600 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,750 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: TWF Twin Falls ID
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 45 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 10:45 pm from BZN, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 SEA91LA031.