# NTSB WPR25LA271: Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3, N45254, Red Lodge, MT, August 31, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: August 31, 2025, 08:45 local (14:45 UTC)
- Place: Red Lodge, MT
- Coordinates: 45.177554, -109.25565 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.1776&lon=-109.2557&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-aborted after touchdown: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 2 minor
- Status: Completed, report December 11, 2025
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: FAA-FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 200922
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR25LA271
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200922/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200922
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA271

## Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from obstacles during an aborted landing. Contributing to the accident was the high density altitude weather condition.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: climb rate](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062035): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062035/cases.md?model=6120202), [All aircraft, 265 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062035/cases.md)
- [Temp/humidity/pressure: high density altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031020): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031020/cases.md?model=6120202), [All aircraft, 278 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031020/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=6120202), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md)
- [Landing-aborted after touchdown: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) (defining event); cases with it: [Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=6120202), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that, while landing he executed a go around due to numerous people on the grass runway. On the second approach the airplane touched down hard and bounced so the pilot added power and initiated a go-around. During the go-around, the airplane impacted a wire fence at the end of the runway and subsequently struck powerlines before it came to rest. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that he had previously only flown low approaches at the airport, and he had not landed there before. He also reported there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The nearest weather reporting station, about 27 miles southeast of the accident site, reported around the time of the accident, altimeter setting of 30.31 inches of mercury, and temperature of 68° F. The calculated density altitude was 7,349 ft.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N45254](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N45254), registered now, S/N 2601, built 1941 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: NAVAL AIRCRAFT FACTORY N3N-3
- Registry model: [Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3](https://openairdocs.org/model/naval-aircraft-factory-n3n-3) (registry code 6120202) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 2601
- Year built: 1941
- Airframe hours: 791.2
- Engines: Naval Aircraft Factory 760-8 235 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, May 28, 2024, 13 hours before
- Departed: Priv, Columbus, MT
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: RED, Red Lodge, runway 16/34, 4,000 × 75 ft, grass/turf

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 68; injuries: minor; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: basicmed; last flight review August 8, 2023; seat: rear; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 4,641 total, 406 in this make and model, 7 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 150° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter: 30.31 inHg
- Observed at: KPOY, 27 nm away
- METAR: KPOY 311455Z AUTO 15003KT 10SM CLR 20/02 A3031 RMK AO2

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20250831014499A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250831014499A), Aug 31, 2025: Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3, Red Lodge, MT, Destroyed. Description of the deviation: While operating[privacy data omitted] an N3N-3 airplane on a VFR flight plan and upon approach to landing on sod rwy 16 at the…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 11, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200922. 5.1 MB in all.

- Pilot statement (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 51 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19538856&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 2, PDF, 10 pages, 3.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19257397&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Mor - density altitude (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 96 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19591147&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=mor_density%20altitude-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 4, PDF, 3 pages, 2 photos, 1.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19258265&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos%20WPR25LA271-Rel.pdf

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.

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