| Crash location | 45.808611°N, 108.530834°W |
| Nearest city | Billings, MT
45.783286°N, 108.500690°W 2.3 miles away |
| Tail number | N8609X |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 10 Jan 2005 |
| Aircraft type | Cessna 180 |
| Additional details: | None |
On January 10, 2005, about 1140 mountain standard time, a Cessna 180, N8609X, sustained substantial damage subsequent to a nose over while landing at the Billings Logan International Airport, Billings, Montana. The airplane is owned by the pilot, and was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the cross-country flight. The flight originated from Dayton, Wyoming, at approximately 1045.
In a written statement, the pilot reported that after touching down, the airplane bounced then settled back to the ground, but the left wing was "somewhat elevated." The pilot further reported that as the airplane rolled forward, the left wing became even more elevated and he wasn't able to lower it, resulting in the right wing striking the ground. The pilot stated that the airplane's forward momentum resulted in the airplane to nose over, coming to rest on its back just left of the runway centerline.
The pilot's improper flare and his failure to maintain aircraft control. The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing is a contributing factor.