Amateur-built STOL KING accident near Bozeman, Montana, March 22, 2017
On March 22, 2017 at about 6:30 pm local time, a 2010 amateur-built STOL KING, registered N268CR, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Bozeman, Montana (Bozeman Yellowstone Intl 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 failure to maintain directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 22, 2017 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bozeman, Montana · Bozeman Yellowstone Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built STOL KING NO SERIES, built 2010
- Registration
- N268CR · registry record · serial 4
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported that, shortly after touchdown during landing, the experimental, amateur-built tailwheel equipped airplane immediately veered to the left. The pilot corrected with right rudder and applied engine power; however, the airplane subsequently ground looped, during which the right main landing gear strut collapsed. The pilot, who was the builder of the airplane, reported that this was the second time the gear struts had bent on this airplane. Following the first event, the pilot had reinforced the landing gear strut, but he believed that the design of the main landing gear was unable to withstand the routine stresses of 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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during landing (landing roll)
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 279 hours in all; 144 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 144 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 8, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 171.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 26, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 2,613 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BZN Bozeman MT at 5:40 pm
- Destination: BZN Bozeman MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 2,650 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from BZN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on July 17, 2018. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Picture | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.