Piper PA-18-125 accident near Ekalaka, Montana, April 13, 1991
On April 13, 1991 at about 10:05 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-125, registered N1322A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ekalaka, Montana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT DID NOT MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE LANDING ROLL. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE LANDING SURFACE WAS COVERED WITH SLUSH, SNOW WAS FALLING AND OBSCURED THE PILOT'S VISION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 13, 1991 · about 10:05 pm local time
- Place
- Ekalaka, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-125 · all PA-18-125s on the register
- Registration
- N1322A · registry record · serial 18-1128
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE END OF A LOAL FLIGHT, THE WEATHER HAD DETERIORATED SO THAT LIGHT SNOW WAS FALLING. THE AIRPLANE APPROACHED THE AIRSTRIP, AND THE PILOT NOTED THAT THE AIRSTRIP WAS COVERED WITH SNOW. INSTEAD OF LANDING ON THE AIRSTRIP, THE PILOT OPTED TO LAND ON A ROAD THAT RAN ADJACENT TO THE AIRSTRIP. DURING THE LANDING ROLL ON THE SLUSH COVERED ROAD, THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF THE ROAD AND COLLIDED INTO A DITCH AND NOSED OVER.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,112 hours in all; 2,300 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 4,112 as pilot in command; 276 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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 N1322A the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 SEA91LA085.