Curtiss Wright P-40E accident near Hamilton, Montana, June 27, 2023
On June 27, 2023 at about 1:59 pm local time, a Curtiss Wright P-40E, registered N4420K, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Hamilton, Montana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 27, 2023 · about 1:59 pm local time
- Place
- Hamilton, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Curtiss Wright P-40E · all P-40Es on the register
- Registration
- N4420K · registry record · serial AK75315134
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses reported that the airplane departed from runway 35 after a successful runup. During the initial climb, multiple witnesses reported that they heard a loss of engine power and saw the airplane make a left turn before it descended and impacted terrain. Postaccident examination of the airplane and engine did not reveal any preimpact mechanical anomalies. Flight control continuity was established from the cockpit control to each flight control surface. The crankshaft was manually rotated by the reduction gear and mechanical continuity of the engine was established throughout the rotating group, valvetrain, and accessory section. Though mechanical continuity was established, the engine could not be placed on the test stand due to impact and thermal damage. Damage to the propeller blades indicated they were under low to no power at impact. The pilot’s postmortem toxicological testing detected Citalopram, a prescription medication commonly used to treat depression and anxiety, However, according to a Federal Aviation Administration medical review, the pilot received multiple renewal letters, medication follow-up checklists, and reports of formal evaluations of his medical conditions within the pilot’s medical certification file, indicative of successful management of his condition from 2014 to 2023. Based on the pilot’s medical history, he was likely not impaired by his condition; witnesses reported that the pilot was in a good mood during the preflight. The pilot was likely attempting to make a forced landing to a field about 1/2 mile from the departure airport. The airplane appeared to hit hard on the nose/engine in a nearly wings-level attitude and skidded about 216 ft. Based on the available information, the reason for an engine loss of power could not be determined.
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 engine power (partial) during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 9, 2022; 13 hours since
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Allison V-1710-39 (piston); 225 hours total
- Not recorded
- Operator: Rare Birds Montana LLC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 am from KHRF, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KHRF 271355Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 10/09 A2996 RMK AO2 Hamilton
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.
Other NTSB records under N4420K 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 WPR23FA244.