Piper PA-34-200T accident near Salmon, Idaho, August 7, 1994
On August 7, 1994 at about 6:00 am local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N47671, was substantially damaged in an accident near Salmon, Idaho (Lemhi County airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 3 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY JUDGE THE DISTANCE AND ALTITUDE TO THE RUNWAY DURING THE NIGHT VFR APPROACH. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE: FATIGUE, LACK OF RECENT NIGHT FLYING EXPERIENCE, THE DARK NIGHT, AND THE OPERATOR'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 1994 · about 6:00 am local time
- Place
- Salmon, Idaho · Lemhi County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N47671 · no longer on the register · serial 34-7770425
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE BECAME DISORIENTED DURING THE VFR NIGHT APPROACH WHILE TURNING FROM BASE TO FINAL. HE THOUGHT HE WAS TOO HIGH SO HE INCREASED HIS DESCENT. HE THEN REALIZED HE WAS TOO LOW. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TERRAIN ABOUT 1/4 MI SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD BEEN ON DUTY FOR 16 HRS ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT, DURING WHICH TIME HE HAD FLOWN ON 4 FLIGHTS FOR A TOTAL OF ABOUT 6-1/2 HRS. A PASSENGER STATED THAT THE PILOT APPEARED TIRED. THE PILOT DID NOT MEET THE NIGHT CURRENCY REQUIREMENTS, AND THE OPERATOR WAS UNAWARE OF THE PILOT'S LACK OF CURRENCY. THE BAGGAGE WAS NOT ADEQUATELY SECURED BY THE PILOT, AND A BAG STRUCK A PASSENGER ON THE BACK OF THE HEAD DURING THE ACCIDENT.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,185 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 260 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 1,140 as pilot in command; 3 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-E (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Salmon Air Taxi
The flight
- Departed from: SLC Salt Lake City UT at 3:00 am
- Destination: ID
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 6:00 am
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.