Cessna 172C accident near Red Lodge, Montana, August 1, 1995
On August 1, 1995 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172C, registered N1364Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Red Lodge, Montana (Red Lodge airport). 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'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED. THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION AND SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR LANDING WERE FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 1995 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Red Lodge, Montana · Red Lodge · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172C · all 172Cs on the register
- Registration
- N1364Y · no longer on the register · serial 17249064
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH FOR LANDING, THE PILOT NOTED EQUIPMENT ON THE RUNWAY AND OPTED TO GO-AROUND. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE THEN CIRCLED AROUND TO LAND IN THE GRASSY AREA NEXT TO THE RUNWAY. AT 20 TO 50 FEET AGL, THE PILOT NOTED A CULVERT AND ADDED POWER AND PULLED UP TO GO-AROUND; HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND STARTED TO LOSE ALTITUDE. THE PILOT LOWERED THE NOSE TO INCREASE AIRSPEED BUT THE NOSE WHEEL CONTACTED THE GROUND AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS NOT AWARE OF THE NOTAM IN EFFECT THAT REPORTED THE RUNWAY CLOSED FOR RESURFACING.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 584 hours in all; 226 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,446 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 30, 1994; 225 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WRL Worland WY at 7:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 95°F (35°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.
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.