Douglas AD-4N accident near Twin Falls, Idaho, March 8, 2011
On March 8, 2011 at about 11:28 pm local time, a Douglas AD-4N, registered N2088G, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Twin Falls, Idaho. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The non-instrument-rated pilot’s encounter with localized instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and a loss of airplane control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 8, 2011 · about 11:28 pm local time
- Place
- Twin Falls, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Douglas AD-4N · all AD-4Ns on the register
- Registration
- N2088G · no longer on the register · serial 126935
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-instrument-rated pilot was on a cross-country flight when the airplane impacted terrain. According to limited radar data, after departure the flight proceeded northwest and climbed to 6,500 feet mean sea level (msl). Only segments of the flight were visible due to the low altitude range of the radar. The flight track continued northeast to its last target at an altitude of 7,900 feet msl and about 0.25 mile from the accident site. Terrain elevation at the accident site was about 6,600 feet msl. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Ground scar analysis, impact signatures, and wreckage fragmentation patterns indicated that the airplane impacted terrain in a steep, nose-down attitude with high forward velocity. Analysis of available weather information indicated that conditions likely produced restricted visibility in the area at the time of the accident. The restricted visibility conditions would have been conducive to the development of spatial disorientation.
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
- VFR encounter with IMC during enroute
- Loss of control in flight during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusio › Spatial disorientation › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Clouds › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,826 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 564 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, March 1, 2011
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Wright R3350 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: ENV Wendover UT at 10:50 pm
- Destination: IDA Idaho Falls ID
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; scat at 2,600 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 11:39 pm from TWF, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR11FA156.