Cessna 180 accident near Butte, Montana, October 21, 2013
On October 21, 2013 at about 7:00 pm local time, a 1956 Cessna 180, registered N156JM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Butte, Montana (Bert Mooney airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were 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 directional control of the airplane while landing with a crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 21, 2013 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Butte, Montana · Bert Mooney · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 UNDESIGNAT, built 1956 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N156JM · registry record · serial 32360
- 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 during the stabilized approach in the tailwheel equipped airplane he was inputting the appropriate crosswind control inputs for the left crosswind condition. Upon touchdown, a gust of wind caused the airplane to ground loop to the left. Subsequently, the right wing struck the ground which resulted in substantial damage. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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 on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 96.5 hours in all; 34.2 in this make and model; 34.2 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 47.9 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 2, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,800 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 13, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MSO Missoula MT at 6:00 pm
- Destination: BTM Butte MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 9,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from BTM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 N156JM the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR14CA028.