Cessna 140 accident near Preston, Idaho, December 17, 2008
On December 17, 2008 at about 4:30 am local time, a Cessna 140, registered N4008N, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Preston, Idaho (Preston Airport). It was a personal 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 misjudged flare and improper recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a loss of control and subsequent nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 17, 2008 · about 4:30 am local time
- Place
- Preston, Idaho · Preston Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N4008N · no longer on the register · serial 13466
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After landing hard and bouncing, the pilot elected to apply full power and go around. The pilot said there was no response from the engine when he pushed the throttle full in, "...possibly because I advanced the throttle too quickly." The airplane drifted left, exited the runway, and impacted shallow snow on the shoulder of the runway pavement before nosing over and coming to rest inverted. The pilot did not report experiencing any flight control or mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident.
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
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 849 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 228 in the last 90 days; 57 in the last 30 days; 768 as pilot in command; 228 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 6, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,736 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 8, 2008; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LGU Logan UT at 4:00 am
- Destination: U10 Preston ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 3,457 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:48 am from LGU, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.