Dassault MYSTERE FALCON 900 accident near Hamilton, Montana, July 2, 1998
On July 2, 1998 at about 5:49 pm local time, a Dassault MYSTERE FALCON 900, registered N900CS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hamilton, Montana (Ravalli CO. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 9 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Partial failure of the anti-skid brake system due to contamination.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 1998 · about 5:49 pm local time · cases in 1998
- Place
- Hamilton, Montana · Ravalli CO. · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 9 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dassault MYSTERE FALCON 900 MYSTERE FA · all MYSTERE FALCON 900s on the register
- Registration
- N900CS · registry record · serial 104
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, after a normal approach and touchdown, he applied the brakes and thrust reversers. He stated that as the aircraft slowed to 60 to 70 knots, it veered to the right and exited the side of the runway. The pilot regained directional control after the aircraft exited the runway. Before the aircraft came to a stop, the right wing collided with the VASI lights for the opposite runway. Skid marks leading to the exit point on the runway, indicated that the right-side tire marks displayed heavier braking action than on the left side. Post-accident testing performed on the anti-skid generators revealed that the left-side inboard and outboard generators failed the manufacturer's specifications. The right-side inboard and outboard generators passed all manufacturers specifications. The left-side generators were disassembled. The inspection did not reveal any anomalies. A slight difference in the brush wear between the brush fittings was noted between the two generators. A short circuit between two adjacent collectors was found in the outboard generator rotor fitting. The manufacturer's representative reported that the short circuit was not due to a failure within a cell of the rotor, but was likely due to contamination present between the two collectors.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,316 hours in all; 780 in this make and model; 78 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 7,172 as pilot in command; 1,085 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,119 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 7, 1998; 83 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 46,500 lb
- Seats: 15
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Airesearch TFE-731-5B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Tag Aviation USA
The flight
- Departed from: SFO San Francisco CA at 4:12 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 34, 4,200 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 8 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 6 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N900CS on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Dassault MYSTERE FALCON 900 129 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Dassault 232 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Airesearch TFE-731-5B · as the NTSB recorded it
- San Francisco International · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Montana 1,121 since 1982 · 166 in the last ten years
- Montana 6,041 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/SEA98LA118.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.