Piper PA-23-250 incident near Soda Springs, Idaho, September 25, 1997
On September 25, 1997 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered CGBUA, suffered minor damage in an incident near Soda Springs, Idaho (Allen H. Tigert airport). It was an other work-use 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 failure to see-and-avoid the truck. Related factors included: a truck, insufficient runway obstruction information provided in the Airport/Facility Directory by the FAA, and VASI glide path angle setting (by local airport personnel) which provided inadequate clearance over the crossing highway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 25, 1997 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Soda Springs, Idaho · Allen H. Tigert · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- CGBUA · no longer on the register · serial 277405370
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While on an aerial photographic survey flight, the pilot noted fuel leaking from around a fuel tank cap and elected to land at the nearest suitable airport (Soda Springs, Idaho.) Approaching the airport, the pilot checked two flight information publications including the U.S. Government Airport/Facility Directory (A/FD) to obtain airport information. He then performed an approach to runway 16. A U.S. highway runs approximately perpendicular to the runway extended centerline, crossing it approximately 50 feet short (north) of the approach end (the A/FD identifies approach obstructions to runway 16 only as 'Road'.) The pilot reported he was on a stabilized approach, on glide path (the runway is equipped with a tri-color visual approach slope indicator [VASI]), when the aircraft collided with a truck on the highway. The collision knocked off the airplane's left main wheel, but the pilot was able to execute a go-around and subsequently landed at Pocatello, Idaho, without further incident. A previous aircraft/vehicle collision occurred at Soda Springs in 1978. Local airport authorities increased the glide path angle setting of the runway 16 tri-color VASI after the accident, so as to give increased clearance over the highway 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: 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: 1,200 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 160 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 1,120 as pilot in command; 700 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,522 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 18, 1997
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PIH Pocatello ID at 3:00 pm
- Destination: Unknown
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 3,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.