Cessna 172G accident near Silver City, Idaho, May 27, 2012
On May 27, 2012 at about 3:50 am local time, a Cessna 172G, registered N4640L, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Silver City, Idaho. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot‘s failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering in mountainous terrain with reduced visibility, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 27, 2012 · about 3:50 am local time
- Place
- Silver City, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172G · all 172Gs on the register
- Registration
- N4640L · no longer on the register · serial 17254635
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he was maneuvering over mountainous terrain in deteriorating weather conditions and reduced visibility when the airplane stalled. He pushed the nose down to recover from the aerodynamic stall and then abruptly pitched the nose up to avoid oncoming rising terrain. The airplane subsequently impacted trees and settled to the ground. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during maneuvering defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › (general) › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Low visibility › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Mountainous/hilly terrain › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 402 hours in all; 308 in this make and model; 400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,589 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 4, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-300 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KREO Rome OR
- Destination: U76 Mountain Home ID
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; scat
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.