Flight Design GMBH CTSW accident near Sulphur Creek, Idaho, July 10, 2009
On July 10, 2009 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Flight Design GMBH CTSW, registered N199CT, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Sulphur Creek, Idaho (Sulphur Creek Ranch airport). 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's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 2009 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sulphur Creek, Idaho · Sulphur Creek Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Flight Design GMBH CTSW · all CTSWs on the register
- Registration
- N199CT · registry record · serial 06-12-22
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After touching down on the remote rough gravel airstrip, the pilot applied what he described as "hard braking" with the non-differential handbrake, while attempting to maintain directional control with the nose wheel steering. As the pilot continued the landing roll, the airplane began to skid/slip off to the left side of the convex shaped runway crown, and it eventually exited the runway and impacted a large rock pile. After hitting the rock pile, the airplane nosed over onto its back, resulting in damage to the wings, and the rudder separating from its hinges.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › (general) › Contributed to outcome
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private, sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 500 hours in all; 365 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KMYL Mccall ID
- Destination: ID74 Sulphur Creek ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 3,300 ft by 40 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.