Piper PA-36 accident near Fort Benton, Montana, May 9, 1993
On May 9, 1993 at about 2:30 am local time, a Piper PA-36, registered N56542, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Benton, Montana. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 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
INADEQUATE INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: TURBULENCE, DOWNDRAFTS, POOR WEATHER EVALUATION AND ALTITUDE NOT MAINTAINED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 9, 1993 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Fort Benton, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-36 · all PA-36s on the register
- Registration
- N56542 · no longer on the register · serial 7360055
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE RETURNING FROM AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT, THE AIRPLANE WAS CRUISING AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET AGL WHEN IT FLEW UNDER A SQUALL LINE. THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURBULENCE AND DOWNDRAFTS. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED TO APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET AGL. THE PILOT REDUCED POWER AND LANDED THE AIRPLANE IN AN OPEN FILED. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE NOSED DOWN AND SLID TO A STOP.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,624 hours in all; 180 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 1,541 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,530 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 2, 1992; 120 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,400 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-720-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 43°F (6°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.