Cessna 182M accident near Willow Creek, Montana, June 15, 2025
On June 15, 2025 at about 5:00 pm local time, a 1969 Cessna 182M, registered N71450, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Willow Creek, Montana. It was a skydiving flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection and fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 2025 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Willow Creek, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182M, built 1969 · all 182Ms on the register
- Registration
- N71450 · registry record · serial 18259627
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Skydiving flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he did not visually confirm the quantity of fuel in the fuel tanks before departure. While about 3,500 ft above ground level the engine began to lose power. Subsequently, the engine lost all power, and the pilot turned back toward the departure airport. The pilot realized that the airplane would not be able to glide to the departure airport and attempted to land on a nearby grass runway. Unable to land on the grass runway due to obstacles, the pilot initiated a forced landing to a field. During the landing, the airplane struck a metal cattle gate, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing lift strut, horizontal stabilizer, and elevator. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. During aircraft recovery, both left and right wing fuel tanks were found to be empty; no evidence of a breach in either fuel tank was noted.
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
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Aircraft inspection event during prior to flight
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 886 hours in all; 542 in this make and model; 77.6 in the last 90 days; 48.8 in the last 30 days; 787 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 30, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,311.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 11, 2024; 84.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-550-D (piston); 729 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 9S5 Three Forks MT at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.08 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 am from KBZN, 23 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KBZN 151656Z VRB03KT 10SM CLR 23/12 A3008 RMK AO2 SLP145 T02280117=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – View of damage to elevator and horizontal stabilizer.
Photograph 2 – View of damage to left wing lift strut.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
3 documents, released by the NTSB on August 11, 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 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Wreckage Recovery | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 3 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.