Erco 415-C accident near Ola, Idaho, December 8, 1990
On December 8, 1990 at about 2:00 am local time, a Erco 415-C, registered N3522H, was destroyed in an accident near Ola, Idaho. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE FOR TERRAIN CLEARANCE. ALSO CAUSAL WAS THE PILOT'S IMPAIRMENT DUE TO ALCOHOL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE NIGHT LIGHT CONDITION AND THE HILLY TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 8, 1990 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Ola, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Erco 415-C · all 415-Cs on the register
- Registration
- N3522H · no longer on the register · serial 4147
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS FOUND INVERTED ON THE SIDE OF A HILL APPROXIMATELY 1,290 FT FROM A LARGE TREE WITH A BROKEN BRANCH. WITNESSES BELIEVE THAT THEY SAW THE AIRPLANE AT DUSK IN THE VICINITY OF OLA. A BOTTLE OF VODKA, 1/4 TO 1/3 FULL, WAS FOUND AT THE WRECKAGE SITE. THE PILOT'S ETHANOL LEVEL IN BOTH VITREOUS FLUIDS AND LUNG TISSUE WAS 0.23%.
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
What happened, in order
- IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH OBJECT during other
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, none
- Flight time: 219 hours in all; 11 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: class 3
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C85-12F (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: S67 Nampa ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 27°C, dew point 18°C
- Altimeter: 30 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 am from BOI, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA91LA033.