Amateur-built MURPHY REBEL ELITE accident near Roundup, Montana, April 2, 2014
On April 2, 2014 at about 11:00 pm local time, a 2012 amateur-built MURPHY REBEL ELITE, registered N3552J, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Roundup, Montana (Roundup Airport). 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 loss of directional control while landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 2, 2014 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Roundup, Montana · Roundup Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built MURPHY REBEL ELITE NO SERIES, built 2012
- Registration
- N3552J · registry record · serial 653E
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot-owner was practicing takeoffs and landings in his amateur built experimental airplane. Earlier in the day, he had accomplished several successful landings, and then took a short break. After the break, he flew the airplane again, remained in the airport traffic pattern, and completed an uneventful takeoff and full stop landing. He took off again, made a circuit of the traffic pattern, and set up for a second landing. The pilot described the approach as "perfect," and noted that he was "over the threshold with just the right altitude and airspeed." The touchdown was normal, but during the latter portion of the landing rollout the airplane began to veer to the left. The pilot applied right rudder; the airplane turned right, and exited the right side of the paved runway. About 15 feet off the runway, the left landing gear entered a depression associated with a drainage culvert. The left landing gear was displaced aft and up, and the left wing and nose of the airplane struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. The pilot did not cite any mechanical problems with the airplane. In his written report on the accident, the pilot noted that pilots must be "really quick" on the rudder and "can't relax until the airplane is back in the hangar" when flying a taildragger.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Airport structure › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private, recreational
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 534 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 534 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 5, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 20 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, November 15, 2013; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 20 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KRPX Roundup MT
- Destination: KRPX Roundup MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07, 5,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: broken clouds; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.