Piper PA-22-150 accident near Moose Creek Ranger Station, Idaho, April 9, 2013
On April 9, 2013 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N3505P, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Moose Creek Ranger Station, Idaho (Moose Creek 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's use of excessive braking after landing with a tailwind and after an extended touchdown to avoid deer on the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 9, 2013 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Moose Creek Ranger Station, Idaho · Moose Creek · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N3505P · registry record · serial 22-3255
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he overflew the turf airstrip and observed the windsock, which indicated "little to no wind." While on short final, and beyond the point where he could accomplish a safe go-around, he realized that he was landing with a tailwind. He saw some deer that had emerged from the trees and were on the runway and had to add power to avoid them. He continued the landing, and after touchdown, he applied heavy braking in an attempt to prevent the airplane from overrunning the runway. The airplane subsequently nosed over and came to rest inverted. The vertical stabilizer, the rudder, and the top of both wings sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane 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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Surface speed/braking › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Decision related to condition
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 600 hours in all; 300 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,314 hours
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S82 Kooskia ID at 10:30 pm
- Destination: 1U1 Moose Creek Ranger Station ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04, 2,300 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.