Amateur-built DX4 accident near Priest River, Idaho, September 22, 1998
On September 22, 1998, a amateur-built DX4, registered N4DX, was substantially damaged in an accident near Priest River, Idaho (Priest River Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in a stall/mush. Factors include allowing his attention to be diverted by what he perceived to be a lateral control problem.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 22, 1998
- Place
- Priest River, Idaho · Priest River Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DX4
- Registration
- N4DX · registry record · serial 1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After turning downwind in the experimental aircraft, the pilot sensed that the lateral flight controls were not responding to his inputs as he thought they would. He therefore elected to continue around the pattern and land. Because he felt that a reduction in power positively effected the perceived control problem, he reduced power on downwind and then attempted to turn base. Witnesses said that the aircraft was going very slow prior to turning base, and that as it entered a left bank, it fell out of the sky. Just prior to impacting the ground, the aircraft rolled wings-level. No problem with the lateral flight control system was able to be identified, and no reason for the perceived lateral control anomaly was determined.
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: 400 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 350 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1S6 at 11:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°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.
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.