Piper PA-22 accident near Kamaih, Idaho, July 3, 2005
On July 3, 2005 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-22, registered N1735P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kamaih, Idaho (Kamiah Muni 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
Fuel starvation due to the pilot's improper placement of the fuel selector, resulting in a loss of engine power, and collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 2005 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Kamaih, Idaho · Kamiah Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22 · all PA-22s on the register
- Registration
- N1735P · no longer on the register · serial 22-2525
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported "the owners manual [aircraft], check list, placard, and my flight instructor had all noted that takeoff on the right fuel tank with less than 1/3 fuel is prohibited." The pilot further stated that during the preflight run-up he was distracted and inadvertently "missed the switch to left tank." Shortly after takeoff, about 100 feet above ground level (agl), the engine quit. The pilot reported that he switched tanks, but was unable to restart the engine before the airplane impacted the runway in a nose-low attitude resulting in substantial damage. The airplane is equipped with two 18-gallon wing tanks. The pilot reported the airplane contained approximately 10 gallons of fuel at the time of the takeoff.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 113 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S73 Kamaih ID
- Destination: Kamaih ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.