Cessna 182 accident near Wolf Point, Montana, August 5, 2019
On August 5, 2019 at about 8:45 pm local time, a 1967 Cessna 182, registered N3469R, was destroyed in an accident during approach (VFR pattern base) near Wolf Point, Montana. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack while maneuvering to land, which resulted in an accelerated aerodynamic stall and subsequent loss of control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 2019 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Wolf Point, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 L, built 1967 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N3469R · no longer on the register · serial 18258769
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and passenger planned to visit a farm by landing on an adjacent dirt road. The pilot had previously been to the farm but had never flown there. The owner of the farm watched as the pilot crossed over the road and made a left turn to parallel the road. The airplane then began another left turn, consistent with a left base-to-final turn, during which the airplane continued past the road before it entered a sharp turn and descended into terrain. Upon impact, the airplane burst into flames. A postaccident examination revealed no anomalies that that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the pilot exceeding the airplane’s critical angle of attack while maneuvering for landing on the road, resulting in an accelerated stall, loss of control, and impact with terrain.
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 in flight during approach (VFR pattern base) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 270 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,290 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 7, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,348 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors O-470-R (piston); 3,050 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: MLS Miles City MT at 7:50 pm
- Destination: Wolf Point MT
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 117°F (47°C)
- Altimeter: 27.88 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KOLF, 22 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
5 documents, released by the NTSB on April 20, 2022. 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 | Record of Conversation | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigation Support Materials | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Toxicological Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Record of Memorandum - Autopsy | 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.