Amateur-built DA-4-550 accident near Viola, Idaho, September 9, 2012
On September 9, 2012, a amateur-built DA-4-550, registered N550YS, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Viola, Idaho. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control while maneuvering, resulting in an aerodynamic stall/spin with insufficient altitude to recover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 9, 2012
- Place
- Viola, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DA-4-550
- Registration
- N550YS · no longer on the register · serial 97-001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had been hired to do a flyby over a gathering at a private residence. Witnesses reported that the pilot was flying low, about 800 feet above ground level, over a large crowd. The airplane appeared to be in slow flight, and as it started to circle the group, the pilot began dropping streamers from the airplane. The airplane subsequently entered into a steep turn, and the airplane stalled and spun to the ground. Witnesses also reported that the engine was running and sounded "strong" throughout the accident sequence. After ground impact, a fire started and destroyed the majority of the airplane. A postimpact examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of 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 uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,800 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 4, 2010
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-550-A7B (piston); 400 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Moscow ID
- Destination: Moscow ID
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from PUW, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on November 13, 2014. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FAA Logbook Information | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Summary of Findings – Cmi | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Excerpt Witness Statements (Latah County Sheriff’s Office) | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.