Cessna 172 accident near Dubois, Idaho, February 27, 2020
On February 27, 2020 at about 4:15 pm local time, a 1970 Cessna 172, registered N7904G, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Dubois, Idaho (Dubois Muni airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's failure to maintain a proper airspeed and descent rate while conducting a low pass over a snow-covered runway after encountering a downdraft and the flight instructor's delayed action, which resulted in the wheels contacting the snow and the airplane nosing over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 27, 2020 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Dubois, Idaho · Dubois Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 L, built 1970 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N7904G · registry record · serial 17259604
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that, during the instructional flight, the student was making a low pass over the snow-covered runway when the airplane encountered a downdraft that decreased the airspeed and increased the descent rate. The instructor reported that he was too relaxed and should have added power at that moment but didn't. The wheels contacted the snow, and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident 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
- Other weather encounter during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Downdraft › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 715 hours in all; 254 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 39 in the last 30 days; 622 as pilot in command; 301 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 23, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 53 hours in all; 52 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 9 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,262 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 1, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RXE Rexburg ID at 3:27 pm
- Destination: RXE Rexburg ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 4,600 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 3°F (-16°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 4:05 pm from KRXE, 27 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on March 31, 2020. 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo Array | PDF, 5 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.