Amateur-built BEARHAWK PATROL accident near Shearer, Idaho, August 28, 2024
On August 28, 2024 at about 10:15 pm local time, a 2016 amateur-built BEARHAWK PATROL, registered N924LB, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Shearer, Idaho (Shearer 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing, which resulted in a ground loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 2024 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Shearer, Idaho · Shearer Usfs Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BEARHAWK PATROL, built 2016
- Registration
- N924LB · registry record · serial RJM-4
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane was attempting to land at an airstrip within a canyon. The pilot overflew the runway twice; he first observed a right crosswind followed by a “limp” windsock during his second pass. The pilot then maneuvered through the canyon to land, encountering turbulence as he approached the runway. During the landing rollout, the airplane drifted to the left side of the runway despite the pilot’s rudder input. The right main landing gear hit a depression in the ground, the airplane then ground looped, and its left wingtip impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its left wing. After the pilot exited the airplane, he noted there to be a “strong, direct tailwind” present. The pilot reported there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures 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
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Variable wind › Effect on operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 2,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 16, 2024
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 150 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, April 20, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Titan IOX-360 (piston); 150 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SMN Salmon ID at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,000 ft by 15 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 13 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.16 inHg
- Observation at 3:15 pm from KHRF, 34 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KHRF 282115Z AUTO 32013G20KT 10SM FEW070 17/01 A3016 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N924LB 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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 WPR24LA292.