Piper J5A accident near Biddle, Montana, July 24, 2011
On July 24, 2011 at about 2:40 am local time, a Piper J5A, registered N38AW, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Biddle, Montana (Mader Ranch Private 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
Failure of the left main landing gear strut during the landing roll due to a preexisting crack.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 2011 · about 2:40 am local time
- Place
- Biddle, Montana · Mader Ranch Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J5A · all J5As on the register
- Registration
- N38AW · registry record · serial 5-218
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing roll on the grass airstrip, the nose of the airplane began to drop, and the pilot confirmed that he was not applying excessive brake pressure. The nose continued to descend, then the airplane dropped back onto the tailwheel and onto its left wing. Examination revealed that the left main landing gear aft strut failed, and signatures consistent with a preexisting crack in the aft landing gear strut at the axle knuckle were observed. The area of failure was obscured by fabric covering material, thereby limiting the pilot’s ability to observe the crack during a preflight check.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,400 hours in all; 900 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1,300 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 25, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,717 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2011; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Biddle MT at 2:00 am
- Destination: PVT Biddle MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 1,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 am from GCC, 57 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N38AW 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.