Cessna 182 accident near Stanley, Idaho, June 9, 2016
On June 9, 2016 at about 1:30 pm local time, a 1976 Cessna 182, registered N1403S, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Stanley, Idaho (Bruce Meadows airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to attain an adequate climb gradient, which resulted in a collision with a tree and subsequent substantial damage to the left wing and aileron.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 9, 2016 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Stanley, Idaho · Bruce Meadows · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 P, built 1976 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N1403S · registry record · serial 18264963
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot, accompanied by a flight instructor, was conducting mountainous backcountry familiarization training. The flight instructor reported that they had taxied about 1,000 feet down the runway because the field was wet. During takeoff at a high altitude (6,370 feet elevation) backcountry airstrip, the pilot reported that the airplane became airborne near the end of the runway. During the initial climb, the flight instructor reported that the pilot pulled back on the yoke abruptly, which caused the nose of the airplane to pitch up and obstruct their forward view. The flight instructor further reported that he told the pilot to lower the nose of the airplane to build up airspeed and allow for a visual reference. As the pilot lowered the nose, the left wing of the airplane impacted a tree. The flight instructor reported that he and the pilot assessed the damage and controllability of the airplane, and decided to continue their flight since they did not want to do any more maneuvering than was necessary and they were already headed towards their destination airport. During cruise flight, the flight instructor noticed some "pulling" to the left and some visual damage to the left wing. The flight instructor further reported that they landed at their destination airport uneventfully. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the left wing and aileron. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. A postaccident mechanical inspection by the pilot's mechanic revealed a 20/80 compression on the No. 3 cylinder. A representative from the engine manufacturer stated that there would have been negligible power loss due to the low compression and that the postaccident compression test would be invalid because the test was conducted on a cold engine. Included in the public docket for this report is a copy of the service bulletin from Continental on the procedures for conducting a differential pressure test and borescope inspection procedures for cylinders.
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
- Abrupt maneuver during initial climb defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during initial climb
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › (general) › Effect on equipment
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Incorrect use/operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Awareness of condition
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › High density altitude › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,089 hours in all; 1,932 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days; 2,047 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 11, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,830 hours in all; 260 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 37 in the last 30 days; 9,210 as pilot in command; 610 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 11, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,801 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2016; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-S (piston); 5,597 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: U63 Stanley ID at 1:30 pm
- Destination: MYL Mc Call ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 5,000 ft by 110 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:51 pm from KSNT, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number GAA16CA298.