Piper PA-18-150 accident near Garrett, Wyoming, June 7, 2024
On June 7, 2024 at about 11:55 am local time, a 1975 Piper PA-18-150, registered N40561, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Garrett, Wyoming. It was an other work-use flight under public-use (government) rules. 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from terrain while conducting low-level altitude operations, following an encounter with wake turbulence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 7, 2024 · about 11:55 am local time
- Place
- Garrett, Wyoming · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150, built 1975 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N40561 · no longer on the register · serial 18-7509128
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during an animal damage control mission, while maneuvering at a low altitude over wildlife, the airplane encountered “rough, disturbed air,” which he counteracted by leveling the wings pushing the nose down slightly. As the airplane began to fly out of the disturbed air, it encountered disturbed air a second time, which the pilot leveled the wings and moved the [control] stick to neutral due to the close proximity of the ground and sink rate. Subsequently the airplane impacted the ground and came to rest inverted. The pilot reported that there were 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
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during maneuvering
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Wake turbulence › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,272 hours in all; 668 in this make and model; 122 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days; 7,095 as pilot in command; 300 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 30, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
Other crew
- Flight time: 0 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,164 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 17, 2024; 49 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C4P (piston); 1,027 hours total
- Operator: United States Department Of Agriculture
The flight
- Departed from: CPR Casper WY at 11:13 am
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 2 knots
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | |||
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on March 6, 2025. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages | 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.