Cessna 182P accident near Chico Hot Spgs., Montana, June 29, 1998
On June 29, 1998 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Cessna 182P, registered N1878M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chico Hot Spgs., Montana (Chico Hot Springs 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 inadequate remedial action while attempting to compensate for a change in crosswind velocity. Factors include a crosswind, hills near the runway, and high vegetation (weeds) near the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 1998 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Chico Hot Spgs., Montana · Chico Hot Springs · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182P · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N1878M · registry record · serial 18264465
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Just before touchdown in gusty crosswind conditions, the aircraft flew past a hill that blocked most of the crosswind. At that point, the aircraft started drifting toward the left side of the runway, and the pilot was unable to get the aircraft back to the center of the runway prior to touchdown. Just after touchdown, the left main gear slipped off the left side of the runway into tall weeds. Soon thereafter, the aircraft exited the left side of the runway, and before the pilot could get it stopped, the aircraft impacted a fence.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,024 hours in all; 658 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 960 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,322 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 4, 1997; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-S2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BIL Billings MT at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 6,000 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°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.
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 SEA98LA114.