Piper PA-18-150 accident near Mccall, Idaho, July 11, 1995
On July 11, 1995 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N82555, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mccall, Idaho ((Usfs) Vines 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
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS FAILURE (OR INABILITY) TO REMAIN CLEAR OF TERRAIN AFTER INITIATING A GO-AROUND. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE UNFAVORABLE TERRAIN AND WIND CONDITIONS (INCLUDING DOWNDRAFTS).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 1995 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mccall, Idaho · (Usfs) Vines · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N82555 · registry record · serial 18-7909006
- 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 JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN ON THE GRAVEL AIRSTRIP LOCATED IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, THE AIRPLANE'S GROUND SPEED ACCELERATED (TAILWIND). THE PILOT OPTED TO GO-AROUND AND STATED THAT DURING THE CLIMB OUT, THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED DOWN DRAFTS. THE AIRPLANE WAS UNABLE TO OUT-CLIMB THE TERRAIN AND THE PILOT MANEUVERED THE AIRPLANE FOR A FORCED LANDING INTO A RIVER. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE AIRPLANE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. PRIOR TO LANDING, THE PILOT WAS INFORMED BY ANOTHER PILOT ON THE GROUND OF TURBULENT CONDITIONS ON FINAL APPROACH.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,400 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 150 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 10, 1995; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I08 ID at 8:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 1,100 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.