Piper PA28-140 accident near Idaho Falls, Idaho, April 4, 1984
On April 4, 1984 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Piper PA28-140, registered N1436X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Idaho Falls, Idaho. 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
- April 4, 1984 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Idaho Falls, Idaho
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28-140 · all PA28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N1436X · no longer on the register · serial 28-7525312
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT WAS ON A SOLO X-COUNTRY FLT & HAD REFUELED AT TWIN FALLS, ID. WHEN SHE TOOK OFF, BOTH FUEL TANKS WERE FULL. WHILE DESCENDING THRU ABOUT 6000 FT, NEAR THE DESTINATION ARPT, THE ENG SPUTTERED & QUIT RUNNING. THE STUDENT ENRICHED THE MIXTURE, CHECKED THE PRIMER & TURNED ON THE FUEL BOOST PUMP, BUT DID NOT SWITCH FUEL TANKS. SHE HAD BEEN USING FUEL FROM THE LEFT TANK ONLY. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE ON SOFT, UNEVEN TERRAIN, COVERED WITH SAGEBRUSH & THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY & THE RIGHT TANK WAS FULL. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAKS. THE ELEVATION OF THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS 5489 FT.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 32 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 11 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 28, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming LYC-O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TWE Twin Falls ID at 5:40 pm
- Destination: IDA Idaho Falls ID
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from IDA, 20 miles away
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.