Piper PA-28-180 accident near Yellow Pine, Idaho, September 25, 2002
On September 25, 2002 at about 8:08 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N7027W, was destroyed in an accident near Yellow Pine, Idaho (Johnson Creek airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees. A factor was trees south of the departure end of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 25, 2002 · about 8:08 pm local time
- Place
- Yellow Pine, Idaho · Johnson Creek · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N7027W · registry record · serial 28-711
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The cross-country flight originated from New Mexico on the morning of the accident. The private pilot's final destination was the accident airport, with intermediate stops for fuel in Utah, and Idaho. Reportedly, the pilot and passenger were planning on camping at the accident airport and returning to Albuquerque later in the week. The airport is located in mountainous terrain at an elevation of 4,933 feet above sea level. The Airport/Facilities Directory (A/FD) recommends landing on runway 17 and takeoff on runway 35 due to rising terrain south of runway 17. The aircraft wreckage was located approximately 900 feet beyond the departure end of runway 17. Multiple trees with fresh scarring were noted beyond the departure end of the runway approximately 230 feet north of the wreckage.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 95 hours in all; 95 in this make and model; 68 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: August 15, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,654 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 4, 2002
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: LLJ Challis ID at 8:04 pm
- Destination: 3U2 Yellow Pine ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,400 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from KMYL, 26 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.