Piper PA-18-150 accident near White Sulphur Springs, Montana, September 24, 2010
On September 24, 2010 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N4036E, was substantially damaged in an accident during uncontrolled descent near White Sulphur Springs, Montana. It was a personal 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 pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during a go-around in turbulent wind conditions, which resulted in a collision with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 24, 2010 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- White Sulphur Springs, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N4036E · registry record · serial 18-7809042
- 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 he planned on landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane in an open field in front of a friend's mountain cabin. The pilot made his first approach to the landing area, dragging the airplane's wheels across the landing area to test the roughness of the terrain before landing. The pilot then initiated a go-around and planned on landing during the next pass. Immediately upon initiating the go-around, the pilot reported that he encountered severe turbulence over the tree-populated terrain outside the periphery of his landing area. The turbulence forced the airplane down through the trees and into the ground. The pilot egressed the cockpit and the airplane was consumed by a post-impact fire. The pilot stated that the airplane had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent defining event
- Turbulence encounter during approach (VFR go-around)
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › (general) › Effect on operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,900 hours in all; 1,800 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: February 1, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,380 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 14, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 1,760 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: KBZN Bozeman MT at 10:30 pm
- Destination: White Sulphur Springs MT
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 11 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from KHLN, 46 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N4036E 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.