Murphy Aircraft Rebel accident near Hayden Lake, Idaho, May 3, 2012
On May 3, 2012 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Murphy Aircraft Rebel, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N1076D, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Hayden Lake, Idaho. 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 pilots’ failure to position the landing gear for landing on the water, which resulted in a nose-over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 2012 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hayden Lake, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Murphy Aircraft Rebel, amateur-built
- Registration
- N1076D · no longer on the register · serial DW542616
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a landing on still, glassy water, the single-engine amphibian airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The flight instructor reported that, before landing, neither the regular airplane checklist nor his personal checklist had been used. The pilot receiving instruction, who was also the owner of the airplane, added that they were in a rush and forgot to use the checklist. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the left landing gear was extended and the right landing gear was partially retracted. Further examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the fuselage, firewall, and door frames.
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
- Landing gear not configured during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
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: 9,512 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 9,488 as pilot in command; 1,981 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 15, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 922 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 850 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 3, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 242 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, July 5, 2011; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,732 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: COE Coeur D'Alene ID at 4:25 pm
- Destination: Hayden Lake ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.71 inHg
- Observation at 4:35 pm from COE, 3 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.
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.