Piper PA-18-150 accident near Winnett, Montana, February 28, 1993
On February 28, 1993 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N789FG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Winnett, Montana. 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 STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE SNOWBANK AND LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN TYPE OPERATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 28, 1993 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Winnett, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N789FG · registry record · serial 18-8883
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE LANDING ON A GRAVEL ROAD FOR THE FIRST TIME, AND WITH A TOTAL OF 24 HOURS OF FLIGHT EXPERIENCE, THE STUDENT PILOT ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO DRIFT LEFT DURING WHICH TIME THE LEFT GEAR DUG INTO A SNOW BERM ALONGSIDE THE ROAD'S EDGE AND THE AIRCRAFT 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: student
- Flight time: 24 hours in all; 24 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,624 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1992; 94 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,625 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: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.