Cessna 180A accident near Belgrade, Montana, August 21, 1999
On August 21, 1999 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 180A, registered N5359D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Belgrade, Montana (Gallatin Field). It was an other work-use 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
Clearance from objects was not maintained during taxiing. Factors include the pilot's inadequate visual lookout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 1999 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Belgrade, Montana · Gallatin Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180A · all 180As on the register
- Registration
- N5359D · no longer on the register · serial 50257
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that, because of camera equipment on the dash restricting his visibility, he turned into the parked airplane which he did not see while taxiing in from a flight. In a written statement, he stated that the collision occurred in a right turn with his attention diverted to the left.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 25,000 hours in all; 16,000 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 17, 1998
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: BZN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 16,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from KBZ
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.
Other NTSB records under N5359D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.