Amateur-built CCK-1865 accident near Lewiston, Montana, November 14, 2024
On November 14, 2024 at about 7:10 pm local time, a 2012 amateur-built CCK-1865, registered N247CC, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Lewiston, Montana (Durfee Hills airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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 directional control in a gusting tailwind, which resulted in an impact with a tree.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 14, 2024 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Lewiston, Montana · Durfee Hills · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built CCK-1865, built 2012
- Registration
- N247CC · registry record · serial CCK1865-0022
- 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 reported that during a downhill takeoff roll from a grass strip with a gusting right quartering tailwind, the airplane started to veer to the right. The pilot applied left rudder control, and the airplane started to veer to the left. As the airplane became airborne, the airplane drifted left of the airstrip and struck a tree. Subsequently, the airplane landed hard on terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the pilot was taking off to the southeast with wind from 280° at 13 knots, gusting to 18 knots.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
- Other weather encounter during takeoff
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery 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 › Gusts › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 297.3 hours in all; 159.7 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 7.7 in the last 30 days; 240.1 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 22, 2024
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 230.4 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 9, 2023; 49 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,865 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cub Crafters CC340 (piston); 230 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 1,200 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 13 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 9:30 am from 19MT, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 WPR25LA043.