# Accident 20260915012659A: Piper PA-18-150, Roundup, MT, September 15, 2026 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: September 15, 2026, 11:45 local time - Place: Roundup, MT - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 46.7469° N, 108.8681° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.7469&lon=-108.8681&mi=10 - Aircraft: N4500W, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4500W) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-18-150 (registry code 7101828, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-18-150 - Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - Pilot flight hours: 787 total, 142 in this make and model, 38 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR26LA348](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA348) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260915012659A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON SEPTEMBER 15, 2026, A PIPER CUB, PA-18 WAS LANDING AT A BACK COUNTRY LANDING AREA NEAR GRASS RANGE, MONTANA. UPON LANDING ROLLOUT, THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OVER ON ITS BACK, STRIKING THE PROPELLER. THE ONLY PERSON ON BOARD WAS THE PILOT. NO INJURIES REPORTED. AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTED ON SEPTEMBER 22 VIA PHONE. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS SCOUTING AN AREA OF BLM LAND FOR HUNTING PURPOSES. HE WAS IN THE AREA ROUGHLY 15NM NORTH OF DURFEY HILLS. THE PILOT STATED WHILE SCOUTING THE LANDING AREA HE OBSERVED WHAT APPEARED TO BE ANOTHER AIRCRAFT ON THE GROUND IN SOME TREES. HE STATED HE CIRCLED A FEW TIMES AND SAW A VEHICLE MOVING TO THE AIRCRAFT FROM A NEARBY ROAD. THE PILOT STATED AT THAT POINT HE ASSUMED THE OTHER AIRCRAFT MAY HAVE HAD A RECENT ACCIDENT. HE STATED HE MADE THE DECISION TO LAND AND OFFER ASSISTANCE. THE PILOT REPORTED DURING THE LANDING HE MIS-JUDGED THE DOWN SLOPE OF THE RUNWAY FROM THE AIR. HE STATED THE WINDS WERE GUSTY, BUT AFTER REACHING THE RUNWAY THE WINDS LOWERED TO 3-5 MILES AN HOUR. HE REPORTED THESE TWO IN COMBINATION CAUSED HIM TO COME INTO LAND FASTER THAN HE ANTICIPATED. THE PILOT REPORTED HE BEGAN BRAKING, BUT AS HE NEARED CLOSER TO THE END OF THE LANDING AREA, HE BEGAN TO APPROACH A FENCE AT A MODERATE ENOUGH SPEED HE BEGAN TO INCREASE BRAKING PRESSURE. THE PILOT REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT'S TAIL BEGAN TO COME BACK UP OFF THE GROUND UPON THE INCREASE IN BRAKING PRESSURE. HE REPORTED HE MADE THE DECISION TO BRAKE FIRMLY TO GET THE AIRCRAFT TO COME TO A STOP. THE PILOT REPORTED THE TAIL CONTINUED TO RISE AND THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OVER ON ITS ROOF AND THE TOP OF THE WINGS. THE PILOT REPORTED THERE WAS A PROP STRIKE AT LOW RPM AND AT MINIMAL SPEEDS. AFTER SPEAKING TO THE PILOT, COMPLIANCE ACTION WAS DETERMINED TO BE APPROPRIATE. THE PILOT WAS COUNSELED ON BETTER DECISION MAKING, NOT FEELING RUSHED OR INCREASED PRESSURE DUE TO OUTSIDE INFLUENCES. THE PILOT ADMITTED HE DID FEEL PRESSURES TO HELP THE OTHER AIRCRAFT OCCUPANTS WHO MAY NEED ASSISTANCE. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB WPR26LA348](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA348), Sep 15, 2026: Piper PA-18-150 (N4500W), Roundup, MT, substantial damage, investigation ongoing ## Other reports on N4500W (3) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20181027020999A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20181027020999A), Oct 27, 2018: Piper PA-18-150 (N4500W), Denver, CO, Substantial damage. On 10/27/2018 at 11:52 MDT, N4500W a Piper super cub PA-18-150 sustained substantial damage to its right wing after ground loop during landing rollout on… - [Accident 20030903025479A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030903025479A), Sep 3, 2003: Piper PA18150 (N4500W), Koliganek, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) After departing naknek, Alaska on the morning of September 3, 2003, pilot james coryell landed once at levelock, took off and flew northwest. While… - [Accident 19970401004939A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970401004939A), Apr 1, 1997: Piper PA18150 (N4500W), Noatak, AK, Substantial damage. Nps pilot not flown for 3 months was practicing landings. Porposied. Ground looped. Damaged empannage. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.