Amateur-built EAGLE accident near Rexburg, Idaho, June 16, 2012
On June 16, 2012 at about 1:40 am local time, a 2003 amateur-built EAGLE, registered N106BD, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (aerobatics) near Rexburg, Idaho (Rexburg-Madison County Airport). It was an air show or air race flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine oil pressure, which led to the subsequent uncommanded loss of thrust and decrease in the propeller rpm during a low-level aerobatic maneuver.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 16, 2012 · about 1:40 am local time
- Place
- Rexburg, Idaho · Rexburg-Madison County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built EAGLE, built 2003
- Registration
- N106BD · registry record · serial BR001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Air show or air race flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport pilot, who was also the owner/ builder of the experimental aerobatic airplane, was practicing aerobatic maneuvers for an upcoming airshow. An amateur video captured a portion of the flight and accident sequence. The video shows the airplane conducting several continuous right rolls at an approximate constant altitude and pitch attitude. During the accident sequence, the airplane continued to roll, but it began to descend while maintaining a relatively level pitch attitude. When the airplane was about 100 ft above the ground, it stopped rolling and then continued to descend in a significant right-wing-down attitude. Examinations of the wreckage did not reveal any preimpact mechanical deficiencies or failures that would have precluded continued flight; however, no detailed examinations of the wreckage or any components were conducted. The pilot reported that, while conducting the maneuver just before the accident, he "heard and felt" an uncommanded decrease in rpm, which he believed was caused by the decrease in engine oil pressure that occurs during aerobatics, and a subsequent uncommanded change in propeller blade pitch. Based on the available evidence, it is likely that, during the aerobatic maneuver, the airplane lost oil pressure, which resulted in a decrease in thrust and change in propeller blade pitch, and that the airplane had insufficient power and altitude for the pilot to recover from the maneuver. The pilot reported that he had installed an accumulator to prevent the decrease in engine oil pressure; it could not be determined why the accumulator did not function during the accident 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
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during maneuvering (aerobatics) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (aerobatics)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Oil › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Propeller system › (general) › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Propeller system › Propeller governor › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,223 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 115 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 12,181 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 31, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,271 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, June 2, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 SER (piston); 804 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RXE Rexburg ID at 1:30 am
- Destination: RXE Rexburg ID
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from RXE
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 WPR12LA265.