Aviat A-1B accident near Hailey, Idaho, December 17, 2003
On December 17, 2003 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Aviat A-1B, registered N290AM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hailey, Idaho (Friedman Memorial 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 directional control of the airplane during the landing roll, which resulted in an inadvertent group loop and the collapse of the right main landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 17, 2003 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Hailey, Idaho · Friedman Memorial Airport · 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
- N290AM · registry record · serial 2096
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After landing on runway 13, the airplane initially veered to the left during its landing roll. The pilot then overcorrected to the right using too much right brake, and then overcorrected back to the left. This resulted in the right wing rising, the left main gear collapsing, and the left wing striking the runway surface. The airplane continued its rotation to the left, eventually coming to rest in an upright position. The pilot reported the wind at the time of the accident as being variable at 4 knots, while the local weather observation facility at the airport reported the wind being calm.
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: 870 hours in all; 265 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 760 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 1, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 250 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 24, 2003; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO 360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JER Jerome Airport ID at 11:00 pm
- Destination: SUN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 6,602 ft by 2,012 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.45 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N290AM 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.