Helena Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Helena, Montana 59601
Wednesday, January 26, 2011 12:15 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During the first part of the training flight in the tailwheel-equipped airplane, the pilot receiving instruction made four takeoffs and landings on a runway that was almost directly aligned with the oncoming wind. At that point the certified flight instructor (CFI) took over in order to demonstrate a landing on a different runway where there was a crosswind of about 10 to 12 knots at 90 degrees to the runway. The CFI made a successful touchdown on the main landing gear wheels, but as the airplane slowed and he began to lower the tail to the runway surface, the upwind wing was lifted by a gust of wind. When the CFI made control inputs to counter the lifting of the wing the opposite wing impacted the surface of the runway and the airplane veered toward the upwind runway edge. Before he could regain directional control, the airplane departed the right side of the runway, entered an area of soft terrain, and nosed over onto its back. According to the CFI, there was no evidence of a flight control malfunction prior to the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The certified flight instructor's loss of airplane control during the landing roll in a gusting crosswind.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/26/2011
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1215
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Helena
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59601
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 463625N
Event Location Longitude 1115858W
Event Location Airport Helena Regional Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KHLN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 12000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 9500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 17
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.25
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 28182
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 11 2011 6:56PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9067M
NTSB Number WPR11CA109
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 180H
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18052167
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C126
Aircraft Owner Name STATE OF MONTANA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1625 11TH AVE
Aircraft Owner City HELENA
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59601
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name STATE OF MONTANA
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 1625 11TH AVE
Operator City HELENA
Operator State MT
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 59601
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code KHLN
Departure City Helena
Departure State MT
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1140
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code KHLN
Destination City Helena
Destination State MT
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 11 2011 6:56PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 16
Runway Length 2989
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --