Aviat A-1B accident near Hagerman, Idaho, April 17, 2001
On April 17, 2001 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Aviat A-1B, registered N440PS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hagerman, Idaho (Private Airstrip 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 failure to maintain proper runway alignment during an attempted go-around, resulting in an inflight collision with a wind sock. Factors were a short runway/landing area condition, the pilot's excessive airspeed on final approach, and the wind sock.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 17, 2001 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hagerman, Idaho · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aviat A-1B
- Registration
- N440PS · no longer on the register · serial 2078
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that his final approach to his private airstrip was to the east. He stated that upon touchdown, he felt he was a little too fast so he executed a go-around. He stated that upon rotation, he began drifting left and struck a small windsock at the east end of the airstrip with the airplane's left wing tip. The pilot stated that the airplane then spun left and struck the ground "flat" and dug its right wing tip into the dirt. The pilot stated that no mechanical malfunction or failure was involved in the accident, and that winds were calm. The pilot reported that his airstrip was 1,000 feet long.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,173 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 2,597 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 7, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 130 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 22, 2001; 25 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1P (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SUN Hailey ID at 4:30 pm
- Destination: Hagerman ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 1,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.