Piper PA 18-135 accident near Twin Falls, Idaho, July 3, 2015
On July 3, 2015 at about 3:30 am local time, a 1954 Piper PA 18-135, registered N8086C, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Twin Falls, Idaho. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate fuel inspection during his preflight fuel performance planning task, resulting in fuel exhaustion en route, and an emergency landing and collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 2015 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Twin Falls, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 18-135 NO SERIES, built 1954 · all PA 18-135s on the register
- Registration
- N8086C · registry record · serial 18-3491
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while in cruise flight, he exhausted the useable fuel on board the airplane. The pilot made an emergency off airport landing, and the airplane collided with terrain and came to rest in a corn field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot stated that he visually checked the fuel level via the sight gauge during his pre-flight, however he did not physically check the fuel cell. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during enroute (cruise)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Inadequate inspection
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 960 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 350 in the last 90 days; 110 in the last 30 days; 880 as pilot in command; 600 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 12, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,349 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-290 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GNG Gooding ID at 3:00 am
- Destination: KTWF Twin Falls ID
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 am from TWF, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.