Amateur-built PA 18 accident near Soldier Bar, Idaho, June 23, 2012
On June 23, 2012 at about 6:00 pm local time, a amateur-built PA 18, registered N13VC, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Soldier Bar, Idaho (Soldier Bar Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion and the airplane nosing over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 2012 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Soldier Bar, Idaho · Soldier Bar Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PA 18
- Registration
- N13VC · registry record · serial 0002
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the takeoff roll, the pilot experienced a loss of control and could not steer the airplane. The airplane veered to the left, continued off the runway surface into a pile of rocks, and nosed over. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunction or failure 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
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff
- Runway excursion during takeoff defining event
- Nose over/nose down during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 12,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,500 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 30, 2011; 150 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 85U Soldier Bar ID at 6:00 pm
- Destination: U60 Big Creek ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07, 1,650 ft by 15 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.76 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from SMN, 41 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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 WPR12LA289.