Cessna TR182RG accident near Ennis, Montana, May 6, 1997
On May 6, 1997 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Cessna TR182RG, registered N9480R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ennis, Montana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to adequately compensate for the wind conditions. Factors contributing to the accident were the gusting winds, and the presence of a ditch on the edge of the landing area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 6, 1997 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Ennis, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna TR182RG · all TR182RGs on the register
- Registration
- N9480R · registry record · serial R18200708
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After receiving a weather briefing for a cross-country flight back to the pilot's home airport, the noninstrument-rated private pilot departed from Las Vegas, Nevada. He decided to alter his route of flight due to deteriorating weather conditions, and he made an interim stop at the Yellowstone Airport in Montana. He then called another airport along the route of flight to check on weather conditions, and they were reported as favorable. He departed from the Yellowstone Airport and encountered strong gusty winds at the next airport along his route. He determined he could not land there, nor could he land back at the Yellowstone Airport because of the gusting winds. He decided to land into the wind on a road after realizing he had about 45 minutes of fuel remaining. During the landing rollout, the airplane encountered a strong gust of wind and the pilot could not maintain directional control. The airplane veered off the edge of the runway and into a ditch.
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
- Flight time: 2,600 hours in all; 1,300 in this make and model; 93 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TSIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WYS W. Yellowstone MT at 7:45 pm
- Destination: 38S Deer Lodge MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 153° at 9 knots, gusting 29
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 3,800 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from BZN, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA97LA100.