Cubcrafters INC CC11-160 accident near Challis, Idaho, November 4, 2021
On November 4, 2021 at about 8:20 pm local time, a 2012 Cubcrafters INC CC11-160, registered N727SS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (aborted after touchdown) near Challis, Idaho (Castle Creek Hideout 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 loss of directional control after the airplane encountered a gust of wind during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 4, 2021 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Challis, Idaho · Castle Creek Hideout · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cubcrafters INC CC11-160, built 2012 · all CC11-160s on the register
- Registration
- N727SS · no longer on the register · serial CC11-00200
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot in the tail wheel equipped airplane reported that, he overflew the runway to check the windsock. Having established the wind was out of the southwest, he entered the traffic pattern, and confirmed the wind condition again during the downwind leg. The landing approach and touchdown were uneventful, until the airplane encountered a gust of wind that caused a change in heading. The airplane flew toward a fence, and the pilot applied engine power to correct the drift, but the airplane struck the fence and nosed over. The wings and vertical stabilizer were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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 landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (aborted after touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 13,000 hours in all; 893 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 68 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: March 17, 2021
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 893 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2021; 79.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,865 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Eci/Titan CC340 (piston); 80 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LLJ Challis ID at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 1,800 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from KLLJ, 20 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KLLJ 041955Z AUTO 34003KT 10SM OVC080 10/03 A2990 RMK AO2 SLP111 T01000028=
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 WPR22LA029.