Piper PA-12 accident near Salmon, Idaho, September 30, 1982
On September 30, 1982 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N2343M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Salmon, Idaho (Cold Meadows U.S.F.S. 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 30, 1982 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Salmon, Idaho · Cold Meadows U.S.F.S. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N2343M · no longer on the register · serial 121603
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE STRIP HAD ABOUT 1,500 FT OF USABLE LENGTH, THE REMAINING 3,050 FT CONSISTED OF UNPACKED SNOW &SLUSH. THE USABLE WIDTH OF THE FIRST 1,500 FT WAS REPORTED AS 8-12 FT. AT THE TIME OF TAKEOFF THE FIRST 1,500 FT WAS COVERED WITH HARD PACKED MELTING SNOW & SOME SLUSH. ABOUT 200 FT INTO THE TAKEOFF ROLL THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED A DEEP AREA OF SNOW/SLUSH. DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST & THE ACFT VEERED OFF THE RWY COMING TO A STOP INVERTED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,470 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 243 in the last 90 days; 76 in the last 30 days; 2,360 as pilot in command; 900 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,480 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,625 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: U81 Salmon ID at 1:45 pm
- Destination: U60 Big Creek ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,550 ft by 90 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 12 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 104°F (40°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 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 N2343M 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.