Piper PA-32R-300 accident near Warm Lake, Idaho, August 26, 2003
On August 26, 2003 at about 5:09 pm local time, a Piper PA-32R-300, registered N6126J, was destroyed in an accident near Warm Lake, Idaho. 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 adequate airspeed during final approach resulting in a stall/spin. Contributing factors were the rapidly rising terrain and trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 2003 · about 5:09 pm local time
- Place
- Warm Lake, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-300 · all PA-32R-300s on the register
- Registration
- N6126J · no longer on the register · serial 32R-7680307
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aircraft departed about 1020 bound for its destination. An onboard Global Positioning System (GPS) system, which was recovered at the accident site, retained latitude, longitude, time and altitude for the flight. The GPS data showed the pilot turning north and then initiating a descent from 11,000 feet approximately 45 minutes after takeoff. The data tracked the aircraft through the descent and a turn to the east and then through approximately 135 degrees of right turn to ground impact. Witnesses at a temporary firefighting landing site located a half mile southwest of the crash site and equipped with a windsock and helicopter observed the aircraft fly west to east slightly north of the landing site and roughly parallel to the axis of the landing area. They observed the landing gear extend and watched the aircraft execute a descending right turn as if the aircraft were lining up to land at the helibase. One witness commented that the aircraft was "moving extremely slow, at/near stall speed" and another witness remarked that the aircraft "appeared to stall" descending vertically to ground impact. On site examination revealed a near vertical (83 degree) ground impact along with evidence of high rotational energy of the propeller immediately before/at ground impact. The aircraft's last GPS target showed it at an altitude of 5,666 feet and the ground impact was at 5,410 feet. The aircraft's track from the 90 degree position of the approach through the 135 degree position placed it over rapidly up sloping terrain ascending more than 200 feet during this 45 degree arc of the approach turn. The terrain was heavily populated with conifer trees approximately 75 feet in height and a high tension power line traversed the top of the hill slightly below tree top level. Post-crash examination revealed no indication of control discontinuity or powerplant malfunction. Examination of the aircraft's fuel system found fuel at the fuel flow divider, both gas caps secured and no evidence of fuel staining at the low point (belly) drain or on the exterior of the aircraft.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,800 hours in all; 1,566 in this make and model
- Last flight review: February 1, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,410 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 15, 2002; 141 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SUN Hailey ID at 4:19 pm
- Destination: 1S6 Priest River ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 1,750 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from MYL, 22 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.