Vickers SPITFIRE MARK XVIII accident near Great Falls, Montana, May 19, 1994
On May 19, 1994 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Vickers SPITFIRE MARK XVIII, registered N41702, was destroyed in an accident near Great Falls, Montana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL WHILE IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC). FACTORS INCLUDE THE PILOT'S POOR INFLIGHT DECISION TO ATTEMPT AN IMC CLIMB IN AN AIRCRAFT NOT CERTIFIED FOR INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES (IFR) OPERATION, AND HIS OVERCONFIDENCE IN THE AIRCRAFT'S IMC CAPABILITIES. OTHER FACTORS INCLUDE LOW CLOUDS ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 19, 1994 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Great Falls, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Vickers SPITFIRE MARK XVIII SPITFIRE M
- Registration
- N41702 · no longer on the register · serial 65676390
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE MANEUVERING IN AN AREA WHERE THE CLOUDS HAD LOWERED TO SOME OF THE RIDGES, THE PILOT OF THE SPITFIRE BECAME SEPARATED FROM THE ACCOMPANYING AIRCRAFT. AT THE POINT OF SEPARATION, THE PILOT OF THE ACCOMPANYING AIRCRAFT EXECUTED A CLIMB THROUGH INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), TO VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (VMC) ABOVE. AFTER DISCUSSING THEIR REJOIN OPTIONS, THE SPITFIRE PILOT ELECTED TO ATTEMPT AN IMC CLIMB TO REJOIN THE OTHER AIRCRAFT ABOVE THE CLOUDS. DURING HIS CLIMB IN THE WORLD WAR II VINTAGE FIGHTER, WHICH WAS NOT CERTIFICATED FOR INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES (IFR) OPERATION, THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND DESCENDED INTO THE TERRAIN.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 130 in the last 30 days; 15,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 23, 1993; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls-Royce GRIFFON 65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BIL Billings MT at 10:48 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,200 ft; scat at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from GTF, 41 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.