20260408004149A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Stoelting Wade B JUST ACFT HIGHLANDER · Great Falls, MT · April 8, 2026

Date: April 8, 2026 · 11:07 local
Place: Great Falls, MT
Airport: Private
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N563JA
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR26LA152
Reported as: Stoelting Wade B Just Acft Highlander
Reported engine: YAMAHA APEX-998CC
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 385 total77 in this make and model18 in the last 90 days

N563JARegistered now · Stoelting Wade B JUST ACFT HIGHLANDERS/N JA563-8-19 · Built 2023 Airframe modelStoelting Wade B JUST ACFT HIGHLANDER Engine modelYamaha APEX-998CC4 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Everything was normal for runup, takeoff, and flight.

When coming in to land my approach was steep. I had to forward slip to get down and then straightened out.

I was going to fast so I pulled the power and the engine quit.

I wanted to go around but didn't have time to restart while floating. I was still fast upon landing so the tail never settled. As I was running out of runway I pushed on the brakes and then the plane flipped over.

As the FAA filed it

EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL FOR RUNUP, TAKEOFF, AND FLIGHT.

WHEN COMING IN TO LAND MY APPROACH WAS STEEP. I HAD TO FORWARD SLIP TO GET DOWN AND THEN STRAIGHTENED OUT.

I WAS GOING TO FAST SO I PULLED THE POWER AND THE ENGINE QUIT.

I WANTED TO GO AROUND BUT DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO RESTART WHILE FLOATING. I WAS STILL FAST UPON LANDING SO THE TAIL NEVER SETTLED. AS I WAS RUNNING OUT OF RUNWAY I PUSHED ON THE BRAKES AND THEN THE PLANE FLIPPED OVER.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB WPR26LA152Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedPreliminary reportGreat Falls, MTOn April 8, 2026, about 1106 mountain daylight time, an experimental amateur built Just Aircraft Highlander, N563JA, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Great Falls, Montana. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated…Apr 8, 2026 · Substantial damage