Piper PA-24-250 accident near Boise, Idaho, March 7, 1997
On March 7, 1997 at about 11:35 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N7583P, was destroyed in an accident near Boise, Idaho. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the accumulation of airframe ice on the aircraft, and the pilot's delayed remedial action after intentionally flying into forecast adverse weather conditions. The adverse weather (icing) conditions were related factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 7, 1997 · about 11:35 pm local time
- Place
- Boise, Idaho
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N7583P · no longer on the register · serial 24-2794
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot received both a standard preflight weather briefing and an inflight weather update that indicated he should expect icing, while in clouds or in precipitation, which was forecast to be along his route. While en route, he flew into clouds, and the airplane began picking up ice. For at least ten minutes after the initial onset of airframe ice accumulation, the pilot continued toward his destination. He elected to reverse course, but before he was able to exit the cloud formation, the ice accumulation became 'significant.' His last two radio transmissions indicated that the aircraft was inverted and that he was in trouble and '...going down.'
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: instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 600 hours in all; 250 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,636 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 16, 1996; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1D5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: U73 Jerome ID at 10:26 pm
- Destination: PUW Pullman WA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from BOI, 42 miles away
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.