Piper PA-30 accident near Island Park, Idaho, July 6, 1995
On July 6, 1995 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N7487Y, 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
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS. A FACTOR TO THE ACCIDENT WAS WIND GUSTS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 6, 1995 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Island Park, Idaho · Henry'S Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N7487Y · no longer on the register · serial 30-548
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT A GUST OF WIND FROM THE RIGHT BLEW THE AIRPLANE OFF TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AIRSTRIP JUST AFTER THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF FROM RUNWAY 24. THE AIRPLANE'S LANDING GEAR COLLIDED WITH A FENCE THAT PARALLELS THE AIRSTRIP. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER THE AIRPLANE BACK TO THE AIRSTRIP WHERE HE REDUCED POWER AND LANDED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AT THE TIME OF TAKEOFF THE WIND WAS FROM 340 DEGREES AT TWO KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO EIGHT 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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 451 hours in all; 54 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 380 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,457 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1994; 93 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-CIA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: PIH Pocatello ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,600 ft by 170 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 4:27 pm from WYS, 10 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.
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.