Piper PA-32-301T accident near Fort Hall, Idaho, April 10, 1986
On April 10, 1986 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-301T, registered N82238, was destroyed in an accident near Fort Hall, Idaho. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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 10, 1986 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Hall, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-301T · all PA-32-301Ts on the register
- Registration
- N82238 · no longer on the register · serial 32-8024025
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
RADAR TRACK SHOWED ACFT MADE NORMAL CLIMB ON COURSE FROM AIRPORT (ELEV 4488 FT MSL) TO 9400 FT. MSL, THEN EXECUTED A LEFT TURN OF ABOUT 90 DEGREES, CLIMBING TO 9700 FT MSL AS SHOWN BY NEXT-TO-LAST RADAR TGT. 29 SECS LATER, FINAL RADAR TGT SHOWED 6900 FT MSL. WITNESSES SIGHTED ACFT SPINNING WITH PIECES COMING OFF BEFORE STRIKING GROUND. WEATHER STUDY INDICATED CONVECTIVE CLOUDS IN AREA FROM 2000 FT TO 10000 FT MSL. INVESTIGATION REVEALED RT WING AND EMPENNAGE SEPARATED IN AERODYNAMIC OVERLOAD FAILURE MODE. MAX DESIGN MANEUVERING SPEED CALCULATED TO BE 123 KNOTS AT EXISTING ACFT WEIGHT. CIRCUMSTANCES INDICATE PLT LOST CONTROL OF ACFT WHILE MANEUVERING TO AVOID/REVERSE COURSE OUT OF CLOUDS, OVERSTRESSED AIRFRAME DURING RECOVERY ATTEMPT.
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
- Flight time: 366 hours in all; 182 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 277 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 807 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 16, 1985; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-S1AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: U02 Blackfoot ID at 4:35 pm
- Destination: SLC Salt Lake City UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 pm from PIH, 14 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.