Piper PA-44-180 accident near Billings, Montana, July 30, 2013
On July 30, 2013 at about 5:43 pm local time, a Piper PA-44-180, registered N5367Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Billings, Montana (Billings Logan International airport). It was an instructional 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
The pilots’ inadequate landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing and collapse of the left main landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 30, 2013 · about 5:43 pm local time
- Place
- Billings, Montana · Billings Logan International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-44-180 · all PA-44-180s on the register
- Registration
- N5367Y · no longer on the register · serial 4496175
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and commercial pilot reported that they were conducting a training flight and that, after performing numerous maneuvers in the local practice area, they returned to the airport to perform practice landings in various simulated situations. After an uneventful takeoff and landing, they set up for a practice short-field landing. Following the landing flare, the airplane touched down on the runway surface, and the left main landing gear collapsed. The propellers contacted the runway, and the airplane skidded, which resulted in damage to the wing spar. Examinations revealed that the left main landing gear was fractured through the lower end of the strut tube, which was bent. The fracture surfaces of the strut tube and fork were consistent with an overstress event. Given the damage to the airplane, it is likely that the left main landing gear collapsed due to a hard landing and/or an excessive side load during the landing.
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 (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: 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: 567 hours in all; 63 in this make and model; 163 in the last 90 days; 76 in the last 30 days; 151 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 9, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 208 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 101 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 21, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,305 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 31, 2013; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BIL Billings MT at 4:20 pm
- Destination: BIL Billings MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28R, 10,521 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 9,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 5:30 pm from BIL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.
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.