Varga 2050A accident near Bear Trap, Idaho, June 7, 1986
On June 7, 1986 at about 6:10 pm local time, a Varga 2050A, registered N5077V, was destroyed in an accident near Bear Trap, Idaho (Bear Trap Airstrip airport). It was an instructional 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
- June 7, 1986 · about 6:10 pm local time
- Place
- Bear Trap, Idaho · Bear Trap Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Varga 2050A
- Registration
- N5077V · registry record · serial VAC-66-77
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A SIMULATED FORCED LANDING THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT ALLOWED THE STUDENT TO ENTER INTO A STALL WHILE TURNING FROM BASE TO FINAL. ALTHOUGH THE INSTRUCTOR ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE STUDENT'S MISTAKES HE ALLOWED THE STUDENT TO GO TOO FAR WITH THE TASK BEFORE MAKING THE CORRECTION. THE INSTRUCTOR WAS ABLE TO CORRECT THE AIRCRAFT AND LEVEL THE WINGS BUT WAS UNABLE TO KEEP THE AIRCRAFT FROM STRIKING THE GROUND HARD DUE TO THE LOW ALTITUDE IN WHICH THE STALL OCCURRED. AFTER STRIKING THE GROUND THE AIRCRAFT'S NOSE GEAR SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND IT THEN NOSED OVER 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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,570 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 1,473 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 480 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 1, 1986; 52 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,817 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IDA Idaho Falls ID at 5:00 pm
- Destination: TWF Twin Falls ID
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 24, 2,300 ft by 130 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 75 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 31.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.