Cessna 172 accident near Salmon, Idaho, July 21, 2008
On July 21, 2008 at about 9:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N9912Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Salmon, Idaho (Lemhi County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to take off in known adverse wind conditions that lead to an encounter with a windshear, the resulting inability of the pilot to maintain airspeed, and a stall/mush into the terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 21, 2008 · about 9:40 pm local time
- Place
- Salmon, Idaho · Lemhi County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 M · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N9912Q · registry record · serial 17265856
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported gusty wind conditions prior to his takeoff. During the takeoff initial climb out, the wind shifted and the airplane was not able to maintain altitude. The airplane landed hard beyond the departure end of the runway and the nose landing gear folded back into the airplane causing damage to the firewall. In the pilot's written statement he reported that he should not have been in such a hurry to take off and that if he would have departed 10 minutes earlier or later the winds would not have affected the takeoff. Archived AWOS weather for the airport at 1535 reported winds from 190 degrees at 7 knots. At 1515 winds were reported to be from 210 degrees at 8 knots gusting to 32 knots. Winds reported at 1555 were from 250 degrees at 14 knots gusting to 31 knots; with the winds varying in direction from 210 degrees to 280 degrees.
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
- Windshear or thunderstorm during initial climb
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Contributed to outcome
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Windshear › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,580 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 220 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days; 1,450 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,301 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2008; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SMN Salmon ID at 9:40 pm
- Destination: SMN Salmon ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 5,150 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 9:35 pm from SMN
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.
Other NTSB records under N9912Q the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.