Cessna 182C accident near Hardin, Montana, June 7, 1997
On June 7, 1997 at about 12:02 pm local time, a Cessna 182C, registered N8522T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hardin, Montana (Fairgrounds Airpark 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 student's delay in initiating a go-around. A factor relating to the accident was: the sunglare.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 7, 1997 · about 12:02 pm local time
- Place
- Hardin, Montana · Fairgrounds Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182C · all 182Cs on the register
- Registration
- N8522T · registry record · serial 52422
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot turned onto final approach for runway 4 just after 0600 hours and found that his approach was directly into the early morning sunrise. He reported that he 'could no longer see (his) instrument panel or the runway.' He said he then 'added power to go around' and that 'the next thing was the sound of the airplane hitting the ground.' The pilot reported that he waited too long to abort the landing. The sun's angle of elevation was determined to be 5.23 degrees above the horizon, and the angle of azimuth was determined to be 48.41 degrees magnetic.
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: 185 hours in all; 36 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,094 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 9, 1997; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SHR Sheridan WY at 11:20 am
- Destination: MT02
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 3,542 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 290° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 am from BIL, 44 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.