Cessna 172 accident near Mccall, Idaho, October 15, 1983
On October 15, 1983 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N738RD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mccall, Idaho. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- October 15, 1983 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mccall, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N738RD · registry record · serial 17270171
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE EN ROUTE, THE PLT ENTERED A DRAINAGE AREA IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WITH THE INTENT OF CROSSING A RIDGE AT THE LOWEST POINT. AS HE CONTINUED IN A CANYON, HE HAD A 500 FT/MIN CLIMB RATE & HE BELIEVED HE COULD EASILY CLEAR THE RIDGE.HOWEVER, AS HE CONTINUED, THE CLIMB RATE DECREASED & HE GOT IN A POSITION WHERE THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT ROOM TO TURN AROUND. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT STRUCK THE TOP OF A TREE & CRASHED NEAR THE RIDGE AT AN ELEVATION OF APRX 7900 FT. THE PLT BELIEVED HE HAD ENCOUNTERED DOWNDRAFTS. THE ACFT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE NEAR ITS MAX GROSS WEIGHT LIMIT. ITS NORMAL CLIMB RATE AT THAT WEIGHT & ALT COMPUTED TO BE APRX 330 FT/MIN. HOWEVER, THE CLIMB RATE WAS NEAR ZERO JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 332 hours in all; 57 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 252 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1983; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H1AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pioneer Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: U79 Chamberlain ID at 6:10 pm
- Destination: MYL Mccall ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; not recorded at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.