Piper PA-18-150 accident near Red Rock, Montana, January 6, 2025
On January 6, 2025 at about 9:30 pm local time, a 1971 Piper PA-18-150, registered N4644Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Red Rock, Montana. It was a public-use flight (state) under public-use (government) rules. 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 during takeoff, which resulted in an impact with deep snow and vegetation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 6, 2025 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Red Rock, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150, built 1971 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N4644Y · registry record · serial 18-8945
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight (state) · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of a tail wheel equipped airplane reported that due to carburetor icing he was forced to land on a mountain ridge. After clearing snow and sagebrush to make a runway, the pilot attempted to depart, but during the takeoff roll the airplane veered right into deep snow and sagebrush. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted, which resulted in substantial damage to the wing struts, rudder and vertical stabilizer. 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
- Nose over/nose down during takeoff defining event
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 › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Snow/ice › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,290 hours in all; 1,230 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days; 3,225 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 28, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: State Of Montana
The flight
- Departed from: DLN Dillon, Mt MT at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from KDLN, 23 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KDLN 060853Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM OVC100 M07/M08 A3015 RMK AO2 SLP257 T10721083 58003
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on April 22, 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | 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.