Amateur-built KR-2 RAND ROBINSON accident near Anaconda, Montana, June 13, 2009
On June 13, 2009 at about 2:00 am local time, a amateur-built KR-2 RAND ROBINSON, registered N40908, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Anaconda, Montana (Bowman Field Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The non-certificated pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed and aircraft control during initial climb resulting in a stall/spin.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 13, 2009 · about 2:00 am local time · cases in 2009
- Place
- Anaconda, Montana · Bowman Field Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KR-2 RAND ROBINSON
- Registration
- N40908 · no longer on the register · serial KR-2-2
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-certificated pilot reported that during the takeoff roll, as the tail of the airplane lifted off the runway, the airplane “suddenly took off and went straight up.” He stated that the flight instructor pushed forward on the stick and the airplane subsequently rolled to the left and impacted the ground in a nose-low attitude. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the airplane’s fuselage, wings, and empennage were structurally damaged. The right seat seatbelt and shoulder harness were observed securely fastened and snug against the right seat. The left seatbelt and shoulder harness were found unlatched. The FAA inspector reported that the right seat and surrounding area was intact and exhibited no evidence of a person sitting in the right seat at the time of the accident. According to local law enforcement personnel, there were no reported local hospital admissions by a person being involved in an aircraft accident other than the pilot. Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies with the aircraft flight control system.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Qualification/certification › Pilot
Pilot
- Flight time: 0 hours in all
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3U3 Anaconda MT
- Destination: 3U3 Anaconda MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 6,011 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from BTM, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on September 15, 2009. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Record of Conversation - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Pilot Interview | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Wreckage Examination Notes | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photo 1: View of the Main Wreckage and Accident Site. Courtesy of the FAA. | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Photo 2: View of the Left Rear Portion of the Airframe and Left Wing. Courtesy of the FAA. | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Photo 3: View of the Right Side of the Airframe. Courtesy of the FAA. | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Photo 4: View of the Left and Right Seats. Courtesy of the FAA. | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Photo 5: View of the Right Seat. Courtesy of the FAA. | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N40908: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Engine: Volkswagen · as the NTSB recorded it
- Bowman Field · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Montana 1,119 since 1982 · 164 in the last ten years
- Montana 6,044 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR09LA286.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.