Piper PA-28-140 accident near Island Park, Idaho, July 19, 1990
On July 19, 1990 at about 2:30 am local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N5011T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Island Park, Idaho (Henry'S Lake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT. THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AND THE PILOT'S OVERCONFIDENCE IN THE AIRCRAFT'S ABILITY WERE RELATED FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 19, 1990 · about 2:30 am local time · cases in 1990
- Place
- Island Park, Idaho · Henry'S Lake · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N5011T · registry record · serial 28-7225312
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE PIPER PA-28-140 TOOK OFF FROM THE HENRY'S LAKE AIRSTRIP WHEN THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS APPROXIMATELY 8700 FEET. ACCORDING TO HIM, THE AIRCRAFT 'QUIT FLYING' SHORTLY AFTER BECOMING AIRBORNE.
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: 614 hours in all; 5 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 502 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: U53 at 1:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 4,600 ft by 170 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: broken clouds; scat
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:30 am from WYS, 11 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N5011T on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper PA-28 Cherokee, Warrior, Archer and Arrow 18,620 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,840 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D 260 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Henrys Lake Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Idaho 1,535 since 1982 · 287 in the last ten years
- Idaho 4,201 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/SEA90LA139.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.