Cessna 180 accident near Chamberlain Guard Station, Idaho, June 22, 2024
On June 22, 2024 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 1955 Cessna 180, registered N4722B, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Chamberlain Guard Station, Idaho (Chamberlain Usfs 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during takeoff which resulted in a collision with a rodent hole and subsequent nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 22, 2024 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Chamberlain Guard Station, Idaho · Chamberlain Usfs Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180, built 1955 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N4722B · registry record · serial 31620
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the takeoff roll from a grass airstrip, the tailwheel-equipped airplane encountered a wind gust, which weathervaned the airplane to the left and off runway centerline. The left main landing gear wheel impacted a rodent hole, and the airplane nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings and vertical stabilizer. The Federal Aviation Administration Airport Facility Directory for the airport indicated the runway was 200 ft wide and in fair condition. However, postaccident examination of the runway surface revealed that though the center 20 to 25 ft of the runway was in good repair, however, outside of the center of the runway had “abundant grass growth” with some larger rodent holes.
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
- Nose over/nose down during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Effect on operation
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 598.1 hours in all; 10.1 in the last 90 days; 9.5 in the last 30 days; 515.1 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 1, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,560 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 11, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-J (piston); 6,560 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 3U2 Yellow Pine ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07, 4,100 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 11:51 am from KMYL, 48 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KMYL 221751Z AUTO 17005KT 10SM CLR 23/06 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP132 T02280061 10228 20067 58004
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on February 12, 2025. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo Array | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for Record - Airport Inspector | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | FAA Airport Facility Directory U79 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Idaho Transportation Department Airport Facility Directory U79 | PDF, 1 page | View 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 N4722B the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 WPR24LA209.