# NTSB WPR26LA105: Piper PA-20, N1491A, Three Forks, MT, February 13, 2026 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: February 13, 2026, 15:42 local (22:42 UTC) - Place: Three Forks, MT · airport environment - runway - Coordinates: 45.878111, -111.56944 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.8781&lon=-111.5694&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 30, 2026 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 202448 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR26LA105 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202448/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202448 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA105 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain directional during the landing roll with a variable wind. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-20, 25 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7102002), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-20, 20 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=7102002), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Wind: variable wind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034025): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-20, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034025/cases.md?model=7102002), [All aircraft, 113 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034025/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Piper PA-20, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=7102002), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-20, 21 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=7102002), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that during the landing roll, the airplane encountered a gust of wind that lifted the left wing. While correcting, the airplane ground looped to the left and exited the left side of the runway. During the ground loop, the right wing struck the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing, horizontal stabilizer and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident the airplane landed on runway 21 with a variable wind at 7 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1491A](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1491A), registered now, S/N 20-840, built 1952 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-20 - Registry model: [Piper PA-20](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-20) (registry code 7102002) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-290 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-290-series) (registry code 41506, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 20-840 - Year built: 1952 - Airframe hours: 3099.1 - Engines: Lycoming O-290 125 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Gray Wolf Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, December 23, 2025 - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: 9S5, Three Forks, runway 21, 5,099 × 60 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 37; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review December 7, 2025; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 230.4 total, 139.5 in this make and model, 162.6 as pilot in command, 12.8 in the last 90 days, 10.7 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 45 °F - Altimeter: 29.96 inHg - Observed at: 5 nm away - METAR: 132256Z 08004KT 10SM CLR 08/M08 A2998 RMK AO2 SLP178 T00781078= ## 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 20260213000859A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260213000859A), Feb 13, 2026: Piper PACER PA-20, Three Forks, MT, Substantial damage. On February 13th, at approximately 15:41 local time, the pilot of a Piper pacer PA-20, experienced a ground loop, causing the aircraft to veer off the left… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 30, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202448. 4.8 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 2.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20144866&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR26LA105%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector's statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 95 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20145101&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20RoC%20WPR26LA105_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 293 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20105020&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR26LA105%20Photo%20Array_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Video of the accident sequence (item 4, MOV, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20160685&FileExtension=mov&FileName=video-20260213-230029-b003b52a-Rel.mov 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. --- 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.