Cessna 206 accident near Soldier Bar, Idaho, June 17, 2003
On June 17, 2003 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 206, registered N7372Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Soldier Bar, Idaho (Soldier Bar Usfs 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 overload failure of the nose landing gear assembly during the landing roll, due to an improper maintenance installation. A factor was the rough/uneven terrain condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 2003 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Soldier Bar, Idaho · Soldier Bar Usfs · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 206 · all 206s on the register
- Registration
- N7372Q · no longer on the register · serial U20602186
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After a smooth landing and rollout, the pilot noticed the attitude of the airplane changing as the nose pitched down. Subsequently, the nose gear collapsed and the aircraft slid to a stop in an upright position. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the fuselage structure where the nose gear drag link connects to the casting. There was also damage to the lower front cowling and the propeller blades as a result of impacting the runway surface. The nose gear yoke and nose gear strut assemblies were sent to the NTSB Materials Laboratory Division for examination. The examination revealed that the nose gear failed in overstress, consistent with the nose gear yoke moving to the aft and to the right relative to the nose gear strut. It was reported that incorrect nose gear yoke attachment bolts and nuts were installed incorrectly and that one of the bolts was fractured, consistent with overstress in shear. It was also reported that a wedge-shaped spacer was not installed between the nose gear strut and the nose gear yoke, which would affect the loading of the four yoke attachment bolts. Also noted was the presence of various cracks around the attachment bolt through holes. The fracture surfaces were consistent with fatigue.
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: 1,900 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 1,750 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 6, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot (unmanned)
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 7,400 in this make and model; 95 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 11,730 as pilot in command; 250 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 25, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,791.4 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 15, 2003; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520GCM (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mccall Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: MKL Mccall ID at 3:00 pm
- Destination: 85U Soldier Bar ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07, 1,650 ft by 15 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.