Piper PA 18A-135 accident near Marion, Montana, July 6, 2020
On July 6, 2020 at about 5:45 pm local time, a 1954 Piper PA 18A-135, registered N60733, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Marion, Montana (Carson Field 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 of the airplane while landing in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with a fence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 6, 2020 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Marion, Montana · Carson Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 18A-135 B, built 1954 · all PA 18A-135s on the register
- Registration
- N60733 · registry record · serial 18-3366
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane was landing in gusty wind conditions, and he lost control of the airplane when the tailwheel lifted off of the ground. She added engine power, but then immediately reduced power due to the airplane drifting. The airplane subsequently departed the runway surface and collided with a fence. The airplane's left wing and forward fuselage were substantially damaged. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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
- 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 › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 947 hours in all; 64 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 764 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 25, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,885.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 4, 2019; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 B2C (piston); 317 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MT53 Marion MT at 4:50 pm
- Destination: MT53 Marion ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 3,650 ft by 24 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from MT53, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on October 9, 2020. 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 | Photo Array of Damaged Aircraft at Accident Site | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N60733 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.