Piper PA-18-150 accident near Big Creek, Idaho, July 5, 1997
On July 5, 1997 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N4249Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Big Creek, Idaho. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot-in-command's inadequate terrain clearance and failure to maintain directional control. Also, the overload of the aircraft's left main landing gear strut assembly. Factors contributing to the accident were high density altitude conditions, downdrafts (associated with the lee side of mountain flying), and crosswinds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 1997 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Big Creek, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N4249Z · registry record · serial 18-8478
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While circling the Mile Hi United States Forest Service emergency airstrip to look at another aircraft accident, the pilot encountered lee side winds (downdraft), lost altitude and 'wound up having to flare to land.' The pilot intended to coast upslope and southbound over the ridge on which the north/south strip is situated, and take off on the upwind side. When the aircraft reached the top of the ridge the aircraft encountered an upslope wind which yawed the aircraft right. The aircraft then became airborne, crossing the top of the ridge and impacting the left main landing gear which then collapsed. The pilot estimated the winds at the accident site as 130-140 degrees at 5 to 10 knots, and the temperature at 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The approximate density altitude based on that temperature and elevation was 8,700 feet.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 942 hours in all; 424 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 942 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,990 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 7, 1997; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3U2 Yellow Pine ID at 4:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 560 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N4249Z the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.