Rans S-7 accident near Spirit Lake, Idaho, October 6, 2020
On October 6, 2020 at about 10:33 pm local time, a 2008 Rans S-7, registered N55893, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Spirit Lake, Idaho (Treeport Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during the initial climb after takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 2020 · about 10:33 pm local time
- Place
- Spirit Lake, Idaho · Treeport Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rans S-7 NO SERIES, built 2008
- Registration
- N55893 · no longer on the register · serial 0207459
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and pilot-rated passenger were departing from a grass runway. The passenger stated that the airplane remained in ground effect for a large duration of the takeoff and then climbed above the treeline. At an altitude of about 75 ft above ground level, the airplane’s left wing stalled, and the airplane collided with terrain. Analysis of video of the accident takeoff and GPS data indicated that the airplane’s wing reached its critical angle of attack before it began to lose altitude and descend into terrain. Sound spectrum analysis of the engine indicated that it was producing power at the time of the accident. Given the weights of the pilot, passenger, and fuel onboard, the airplane was under its maximum gross weight and within its center-of-gravity limits at the time of the accident. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during the initial climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and loss of control.
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 initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: airship
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ID22 Spirit Lake ID at 10:45 pm
- Destination: ID24 Sagle ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07, 3,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from KCOE, -1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on April 5, 2023. 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 | Video Study | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Global Positioning System Device Specialist's Factual Report | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Attachment 1 to Global Positioning System Device Specialist's Factual Report | data file | Download |
| 4 | Investigative Supplemental Material | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Records of Conversation | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Video | MOV file | Download |
| 7 | Google Earth Track | map file | Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N55893 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.