Piper PA-18-150 accident near Dixie, Idaho, September 28, 1997
On September 28, 1997 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N7153Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dixie, Idaho (Yellow Pine Bar Ranch airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Shifting of a briefcase stored behind the pilot's seat to a position where it obstructed movement of the rudder pedals, resulting in loss of directional control capability. A factor was trees adjacent to the airstrip.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 28, 1997 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Dixie, Idaho · Yellow Pine Bar Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N7153Z · registry record · serial 18-8266
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that on takeoff, the rudder jammed in the full right position and he was unable to free it. The pilot attempted to pull up to clear trees adjacent to and right of the airstrip, but was unable to clear them. The airplane crashed into the trees. No problems were found with the rudder control in post-accident examination. The pilot stated he believed a canvas briefcase behind the pilot's seat may have moved (or been moved) to one side or the other, possibly creating an obstruction to the rear rudder pedals.
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: 3,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1997
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: ID05 ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 1,500 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
Other NTSB records under N7153Z 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.