Snow S2C accident near Paul, Idaho, June 1, 1999
On June 1, 1999 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Snow S2C, registered N1665S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Paul, Idaho. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 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's inaccurate weight and balance calculations, and his delay in jettisoning the load which resulted in his failure to clear rising terrain. Contributing to the accident was the high density altitude, and the pilot's intentional operation with known deficiencies in equipment.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 1999 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Paul, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Snow S2C · all S2Cs on the register
- Registration
- N1665S · no longer on the register · serial 1238C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that after the airplane lifted off, it was not flying as well as it had on the previous six flights that morning. The pilot immediately opened the emergency dump which also controls the rate of application. The pilot reported that as he flipped the metal tab out of the way of the dump handle, the tab would not flip clear of the handle because of interference with the seat frame. The pilot was aware of this problem, however, he stated that he could hold the stop up with one finger and force the handle around the stop. The airplane continued to fly in ground effect as the pilot continued to try to dump the load. About one mile off the end of the airstrip, the airplane collided with a slight rise in the terrain. The pilot stated that he thought that he could have cleared the rise if he could have dumped the load more quickly. The type certificate data sheet for this aircraft indicates a gross weight of 4,400 pounds. The pilot reported that he was not aware of the requirement, and had not demonstrated the maximum set gross weight for the conditions to the FAA per Part 137 certification. The pilot reported that he estimated the weight of the load based on visual volume that had been previously weighed (approximately 1,000 to 1,100 pounds). The density altitude was estimated and determined to be approximately 5,684 feet at the time of the accident which utilized the pilot's estimated temperature. The weather reporting facility closest to the accident site reported a temperature 10 degrees warmer than the pilot's estimate. Utilizing the weather reporting facility, the density altitude would have been about 6,277 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 456 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 83 in the last 90 days; 56 in the last 30 days; 384 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 3, 1999; 20 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°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 N1665S 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.