Amateur-built MURPHY SR 2500 accident near Challis, Idaho, June 18, 2025
On June 18, 2025 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 2003 amateur-built MURPHY SR 2500, registered N6161C, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Challis, Idaho (Lower Loon Creek Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 18, 2025 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Challis, Idaho · Lower Loon Creek Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built MURPHY SR 2500, built 2003
- Registration
- N6161C · no longer on the register · serial 015SR
- 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 reported that he planned to land at the remote backcountry airstrip. Before landing, he performed a series of passes along an adjacent river to assess the runway conditions and then proceeded with the landing approach. After touchdown, while the airplane was in a 3-point attitude, the airplane began to drift to the left, and the pilot was unable to maintain directional control. The airplane exited the left side of the runway and impacted a fence before it came to rest upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the empennage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine 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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) 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 › Variable wind › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 3,224 hours in all; 344 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 3,212 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 3, 2025
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 600 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 1, 2025; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 600 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: U60 Big Creek ID at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 1,200 ft by 25 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 am from KLLJ, 31 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KLLJ 181755Z AUTO 09007KT 060V120 10SM CLR 26/00 A3006 RMK AO2 SLP111 T02560000 10256 20094 58017=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Airplane at accident site
Photograph 2 – Airplane at accident site
Photograph 3 – Airplane at accident siteThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on September 26, 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photographs | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | 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.