Cessna 172 accident near Bonners Ferry, Idaho, December 17, 2006
On December 17, 2006 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N19698, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bonners Ferry, Idaho (Boundary County airport). It was an instructional 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 during the takeoff roll. Contributing factors include icy runway conditions and a snow berm adjacent to the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 17, 2006 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Bonners Ferry, Idaho · Boundary County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N19698 · registry record · serial 17260680
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported the airplane drifted left of runway centerline during the takeoff roll. The pilot stated corrective actions were applied, however the aircraft continued to drift on the icy runway and collided with a snow berm. The aircraft subsequently nosed-over resulting in substantial damage.
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: 47 hours in all; 47 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 65S Bonners Ferry ID
- Destination: Bonners Ferry ID
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 20, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 19°F (-7°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.