Cessna 172P accident near Nordman, Idaho, February 17, 1992
On February 17, 1992, a Cessna 172P, registered N96617, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nordman, Idaho (Usfs Priest River airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT SELECTED UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE SNOW COVERED RUNWAY, AND THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 17, 1992
- Place
- Nordman, Idaho · Usfs Priest River · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N96617 · no longer on the register · serial 17276095
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS POSITIONING THE AIRCRAFT TO THE PRIEST RIVER USFS AIRSTRIP. UPON ARRIVAL HE OVERFLEW THE AIRSTRIP TO ASCERTAIN WIND AND SURFACE CONDITIONS. THE RUNWAY WAS SNOW COVERED. THE PILOT THEN ATTEMPTED TO CONDUCT A SOFT FIELD TOUCH AND GO TO CHECK THE RUNWAY SURFACE CONDITION DURING WHICH THE AIRCRAFT RAPIDLY DECELERATED AND THEN NOSED OVER.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,270 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 62 in the last 30 days; 1,115 as pilot in command; 905 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,126 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 9, 1992; 79 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Felts Field Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 66S Coolin ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 4,600 ft by 175 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.