Republic RC-3 accident near Butte, Montana, June 5, 2024
On June 5, 2024 at about 9:45 pm local time, a 1946 Republic RC-3, registered N87583, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Butte, Montana (Bert Mooney 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during the takeoff with a gusty left quartering crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 5, 2024 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Butte, Montana · Bert Mooney · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Republic RC-3, built 1946 · all RC-3s on the register
- Registration
- N87583 · registry record · serial 151
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during takeoff, the airplane was about 5 ft above the ground when it encountered a gust of wind from the left, which pushed the airplane to the left and it impacted the ground. During the accident sequence, the left wing struck the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. At the time of the accident, the pilot was departing runway 33, and the wind was from 310° at 16 knots, gusting to 27 knots. The pilot reported there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that 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 in flight during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
- Other weather encounter during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 2,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 1, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,506 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 30, 2024; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming GSO&IGSO-480 (piston); 2,570 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15/3, 9,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 16 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KBTM, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KBTM 052153Z AUTO 31016G27KT 9SM CLR 22/M03 A3009 RMK AO2 PK WND 32027/2153 SLP143 T02171033 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N87583 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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 WPR24LA180.