- Date
- November 14, 2000, 14:42 local (21:42 UTC)
- Place
- Broadus, MT
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8415YPiper PA-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 6, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20001114018309A
- Case key
- 51343
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the takeoff phase of the flight.
Analysis
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board on June 4, 2001, the pilot stated that he was departing from a private, snow-covered runway. He reported that the airplane stalled shortly after becoming airborne and impacted terrain in a nose low attitude. To date, the National Transportation Safety Board has not received a completed Form 6120.1/2 (Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report) from the pilot.
Factual narrative
On November 14, 2000, about 1442 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-18, N8415Y, sustained substantial damage when it collided with terrain shortly after take off from a private airstrip 30 miles northeast of Broadus, Montana. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal/pleasure flight when the accident occurred. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The private pilot, the sole occupant of the airplane, sustained serious injuries and was airlifted to Billings, Montana. There was no fire and no report of ELT activation.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board on June 4, 2001, the pilot stated that he was departing from the private, snow-covered runway. He reported that the airplane "stalled" shortly after becoming airborne and impacted terrain in a nose low attitude.
To date, the National Transportation Safety Board has not received a completed Form 6120.1/2 (Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report) from the pilot.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8415Y
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-8859
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Gerald H. Ellis
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- MT
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Expired
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MLS, 35 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.