Cessna 150F accident near Bonners Ferry, Idaho, May 13, 2024
On May 13, 2024 at about 8:30 pm local time, a 1965 Cessna 150F, registered N3505L, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Bonners Ferry, Idaho (Boundary County airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during landing in gusting wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 13, 2024 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bonners Ferry, Idaho · Boundary County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150F, built 1965 · all 150Fs on the register
- Registration
- N3505L · registry record · serial 15062305
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that during the landing flare, the airplane encountered a gust of wind and landed hard. Subsequently, the right wing impacted the ground, and the airplane exited the right side runway before it came rest upright on the adjacent grass. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the student pilot was landing on runway 20 with wind from 180° at 6 knots.
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 (flare/touchdown)
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on equipment
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 60 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,180.4 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 24, 2024; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 6,175 hours total
- Operator: Pilot Training Northwest LLC
The flight
- Departed from: KSZT Sand Point ID at 8:00 pm
- Destination: 65S Bonners Ferry ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 4,002 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 900 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Observation at 1:15 pm
Weather report (METAR): 65S 132015Z AUTO 19008G20KT 140V230 10SM BKN090 BKN110 22/04 A2982 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SE AND NW=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on November 19, 2024. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photo | PDF, 2 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.