Amateur-built AVID FLYER accident near Mt. Home, Idaho, October 11, 1992
On October 11, 1992 at about 11:10 pm local time, a amateur-built AVID FLYER, registered N81AF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mt. Home, Idaho (Mt. Home Afb airport). It was a personal 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
DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS NOT MAINTAINED. A FACTOR TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: A TAIL WIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 11, 1992 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- Mt. Home, Idaho · Mt. Home Afb · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AVID FLYER
- Registration
- N81AF · no longer on the register · serial 81
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE CONCLUSION OF AN AIR SHOW, THE AIRPLANE WAS CLEARED FOR RELEASE BY THE AIR SHOW COORDINATOR. THE COORDINATOR WAS TOLD BY ATC THAT RUNWAY 12 WAS THE ACTIVE. THE PILOT STATED TO THE AIR SHOW COORDINATOR THAT HE DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE OFF ON THIS RUNWAY, AS THE WINDS FAVORED RUNWAY 30, AND THAT HIS AIRPLANE COULD NOT HANDLE A TAIL WIND COMPONENT ON TAKE OFF. AFTER CALLS WERE MADE TO AIR TRAFFIC PERSONNEL ABOUT THE ACTIVE RUNWAY, THE PILOT WAS INFORMED THAT RUNWAY 12 WAS STILL ACTIVE AND HE WAS CLEARED FOR TAKE-OFF ON RUNWAY 12. DURING THE TAKE-OFF GROUND RUN, THE AIRPLANE VEERED SHARPLY TO THE LEFT AND THE LEFT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND. THE PILOT REDUCED POWER AND ATTEMPTED TO STRAIGHTEN THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL; HOWEVER, THE RIGHT WING THEN CONTACTED THE GROUND AND THE AIRPLANE CAME TO A STOP. THE WINDS WERE REPORTED FROM 230 DEGREES AT SIX KNOTS.
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: 335 hours in all; 230 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 290 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 250 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 29, 1992; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 960 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582/UL (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MUO
- Destination: U35 Caldwell ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 13,500 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 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.