Cessna A185F accident near Conrad, Montana, September 7, 1994
On September 7, 1994 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Cessna A185F, registered N5387H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Conrad, Montana (Conrad Airport). It was an instructional 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 CFI'S FAILURE TO ASSURE AN ADEQUATE INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT, INCLUDING THE PROPER ENGAGEMENT AND FUNCTION OF THE RUDDER PEDALS, PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 1994 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Conrad, Montana · Conrad Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N5387H · registry record · serial 18503330
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE DUAL STUDENT WAS RECEIVING INSTRUCTION FOR HIS THIRD FLIGHT IN A TAIL WHEEL AIRPLANE. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO DRIFT OFF THE RUNWAY. THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) ATTEMPTED TO TAKE REMEDIAL ACTION BY USING THE RUDDER PEDALS, BUT THEY WERE INOPERATIVE. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO DRIFT OFF THE RUNWAY AND ONTO ROUGH TERRAIN. THE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE RUDDER PEDALS FOR THE RIGHT SEAT HAD BEEN STOWED, AND THIS WAS NOT DETECTED BY THE CFI PRIOR TO THE TAKEOFF ROLL.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,053 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 286 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days; 7,908 as pilot in command; 1,626 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,047 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 30, 1993; 98 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Karlee Leasing, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: S01 at 2:30 pm
- Destination: S01 MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,601 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from GTF, 37 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.