- Date
- May 10, 2024, 10:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Three Forks, MT · Airport
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N2388XCessna 182H
- Defining event
- Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20240510004509A
- Case key
- 194270
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 pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in an attempted departure with the flight control lock device installed, and subsequent nose landing gear collapse.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that shortly after liftoff, the airplane pitched down unexpectedly and bounced on the runway. The pilot realized the control lock device was still installed but was unable to remove it before the aircraft impacted the runway firmly enough to collapse the nose gear. The pilot reported that due to the installation of new avionics, he modified the original flight control lock device, and it no longer covered the ignition switch. During the preflight inspection, he failed to remove the modified flight control lock. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage and left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2388X
- Reported as
- Cessna 182H
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18256288
- Built
- 1965
- Airframe hours
- 3,050
- Engine
- Continental O-470-R, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 9, 2023
- Airport
- 9S5 · Three Forks Airport, runway 21, 5,099 × 60 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, ADS-B, Electronic primary flight display, Handheld GPS
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
- Age
- 77
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 11, 2023
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,295 total · 200 in this make and model · 1,295 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.33 inHg
- Observed at
- KBZN, 18 nm away
- METAR
- KBZN 101656Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 12/05 A3033 RMK AO2 SLP271 T01170050
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 21, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 11.6 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.