Christen Industries INC A-1 accident near Twin Falls, Idaho, July 1, 2021
On July 1, 2021 at about 2:45 am local time, a 1990 Christen Industries INC A-1, registered N9609H, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Twin Falls, Idaho. 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
Partial loss of engine power during a low pass, due to carburetor icing and the pilot’s failure to use carburetor heat during the landing approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 2021 · about 2:45 am local time
- Place
- Twin Falls, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Christen Industries INC A-1, built 1990 · all A-1s on the register
- Registration
- N9609H · registry record · serial 1167
- 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 was practicing basic flight maneuvers at an altitude of about 3,500 ft agl during a short uneventful local flight. He then reduced engine power to idle and initiated a descent back to the private dirt airstrip with the intention of first performing a low pass to confirm the runway was clear, and then landing. As he flew past the runway, he applied full throttle, but the engine did not respond. He then performed a forced landing into an adjacent wheat field, where the airplane nosed over during the ground roll. The pilot stated that he had not used a checklist during the descent and forgot to apply carburetor heat. The wing lift struts, and the vertical stabilizer were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The carburetor icing chart from FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35 “Carburetor Icing Prevention” indicated a potential for serious icing at glide power for the temperature and dew point depicted at the time of the accident.
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 engine power (partial) during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Ice/rain protection system › Intake anti › ice, deice › Not used/operated
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 750 hours in all; 145 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 675 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 29, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 572.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 27, 2020; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C1G (piston); 572 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Hollister ID at 2:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 1,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 180° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KTWF
Weather report (METAR): METAR KTWF 010253Z AUTO 18009KT 10SM CLR 26/08 A2993 RMK AO2 SLP074 T02610083 55001=
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.
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 WPR21LA264.