Piper PA-20 accident near Lewiston, Idaho, January 21, 2005
On January 21, 2005 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-20, registered N1535A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lewiston, Idaho (Lewiston-Nez Perce Co. airport). It was a personal 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 pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. Wind gusts and the pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions were factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 21, 2005 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Lewiston, Idaho · Lewiston-Nez Perce Co. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-20 · all PA-20s on the register
- Registration
- N1535A · registry record · serial 20-731
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the three point landing on runway 11, the aircraft encountered a gust of wind from the left side which raised the left wing and moved the aircraft to the right. The pilot was unable to maintain directional control by applying corrections with rudder, aileron and braking action. The aircraft exited the runway surface where the right main landing gear collapsed when the aircraft traveled over the soft surface. The right wing contacted the runway surface, damaging the wing spar. The current surface observation was reporting a wind from 50 degrees at seven knots. Visibility was 10 miles and clear.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,250 hours in all; 875 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 2,250 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 17, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,107 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 14, 2004; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,850 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LWS Lewiston ID at 7:11 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 5,001 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from LWS
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA05LA039.