Cessna 172N accident near Porthill, Idaho, July 17, 2011
On July 17, 2011 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N733BT, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Porthill, Idaho (Eckhard International Airport). It was an instructional 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 failure to maintain clearance from a pole.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 2011 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Porthill, Idaho · Eckhard International Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N733BT · registry record · serial 17268174
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that he was taxiing from the runway to the customs area located on the northern side of the airport, which required the airplane to taxi on a road between the runway and the U.S. Customs facility. The airplane's right wing struck a sign post on the right side of the road. The sign post dented the leading edge and bent internal wing ribs. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal flight.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during taxi (from runway) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during taxi (from runway)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Response/compensation
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,288 hours in all; 5,000 in this make and model; 141 in the last 90 days; 79 in the last 30 days; 4,070 as pilot in command; 498 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 7, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 114 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: August 12, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,910 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 14, 2010; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Northern Air INC
The flight
- Departed from: KSZT Sandpoint ID at 8:20 pm
- Destination: KSZT Sandpoint ID
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 33, 3,650 ft by 175 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 136° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from KSZT, 45 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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 N733BT 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.