Cessna 150K accident near Helena, Montana, January 4, 1997
On January 4, 1997 at about 5:58 pm local time, a Cessna 150K, registered N5935G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Helena, Montana (Helena Regional airport). It was an instructional 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 pilot's failure to maintain directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 4, 1997 · about 5:58 pm local time
- Place
- Helena, Montana · Helena Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150K · all 150Ks on the register
- Registration
- N5935G · registry record · serial 15071435
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the flight was cleared for landing on runway 27. The flare was a little high, however, the pilot continued the landing and touched down without difficulty. The pilot stated that during the landing roll-out, she remembered that she needed to complete a touch-and-go requirement and applied power to go-around. The pilot stated that the airplane began to veer to the left and she tried to correct with right rudder control. The pilot was unable to regain directional control and the airplane continued off the left side of the runway and collided with a snow bank.
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: 117 hours in all; 93 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 20 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,336 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1996; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Butte Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: BTM Butte MT at 5:15 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 27, 9,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from HLN
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.