Piper PA-24-250 accident near Paris, Idaho, July 2, 1996
On July 2, 1996 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N5246P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Paris, Idaho (Bear Lake County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot forgot to extend the landing gear before landing. Factors relating to the accident were: an interuption of the pilot's habit pattern, when he circled to provide time for another airplane to takeoff as he entered the traffic pattern; and his failure to follow the available checklist.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 1996 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Paris, Idaho · Bear Lake County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N5246P · registry record · serial 24-277
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
As the pilot was entering the pattern, he made a 360 degree turn to allow time for another aircraft to depart. As he reentered the pattern, he failed to recheck the checklist, which he had on his instrument panel. He continued the pattern, and during touchdown, he realized that he had forgotten to lower the gear.
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
- Flight time: 2,600 hours in all; 421 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,488 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 8, 1996; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-1A1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1U7 at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 5,730 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.