Beech B36TC accident near Idaho City, Idaho, July 12, 1985
On July 12, 1985 at about 4:27 pm local time, a Beech B36TC, registered N948ST, was destroyed in an accident near Idaho City, Idaho. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
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
- July 12, 1985 · about 4:27 pm local time
- Place
- Idaho City, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Beech B36TC · all B36TCs on the register
- Registration
- N948ST · registry record · serial EA279
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT FAILED TO OBTAIN A PREFLT WX BRIEFING PRIOR TO DEPARTING BOTH BUTTE, MT, AND SALMON, ID. EN ROUTE AT FL180 HE ENTERED INSTRUMENT AND ICING CONDITIONS WHICH HE ATTEMPTED TO AVOID BY CLIMBING TO FL200. DURING THE CLIMB, THE PLT REPORTED ENCOUNTERING SEVERE TURBULENCE ASSOCIATED WITH DEVELOPING CUMULONIMBUS ACTIVITY. CONTROL OF THE ACFT WAS LOST AND THE ACFT DESCENDED TO GROUND IMPACT.
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
- Flight time: 350 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 16, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-UB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SMN Salmon ID at 3:30 pm
- Destination: VIS Visalia CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 14,000 ft; scat at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:48 pm from BOI, 30 miles away
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.