Beech D55 accident near Hailey, Idaho, July 14, 2017
On July 14, 2017 at about 2:15 am local time, a 1969 Beech D55, registered N1796A, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Hailey, Idaho (Friedman Memorial airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s loss of directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 14, 2017 · about 2:15 am local time
- Place
- Hailey, Idaho · Friedman Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech D55, built 1969 · all D55s on the register
- Registration
- N1796A · no longer on the register · serial TE-753
- 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 the multi-engine airplane's engines were "not synched up" during the landing flare and the airplane began to drift to the right side of the runway. The airplane's airspeed began to decay, and the pilot applied left throttle and pitched the airplane's nose down to correct. The airplane subsequently yawed to the right, the right-wing tip impacted the ground, and the airplane landed sideways, collapsing the landing gear and resulting in substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical problems that would have precluded normal operation and that he should have initiated a go-around upon first noticing the unequal engine power.
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 in flight during landing defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine controls › Power lever › Incorrect use/operation
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action selection › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 463.4 hours in all; 9 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 15, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,993 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 3, 2017; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental Motors Inc. IO-520-C (piston); 2,732 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental Motors Inc. IO-520-C (piston); 2,732 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AOC Arco ID
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 31, 7,550 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 210° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 2:14 am from KSUN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 WPR17LA154.