Amateur-built RANS S7 accident near Blackfoot, Idaho, July 13, 2025
On July 13, 2025 at about 2:15 am local time, a 2001 amateur-built RANS S7, registered N69TY, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Blackfoot, Idaho. 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 13, 2025 · about 2:15 am local time
- Place
- Blackfoot, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RANS S7, built 2001
- Registration
- N69TY · registry record · serial 08 96 204
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On July 12, 2025, about 2015 mountain daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Rans S7 airplane, N69TY, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Blackfoot, Idaho. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that after flying for about 45 minutes and completing a 75-mile loop covering his farm property, he was headed home when the engine popped and started to vibrate. He continued to run the engine at reduced power and subsequently observed the oil pressure drop to 0 psi at which time the engine stopped producing power. He initiated a forced landing to a wheat field. During landing the airplane nosed over and sustained substantial damage to the rudder. During the recovery of the airplane the lower fuselage was covered in oil and the engine crankcase and one of the engines cylinders were damaged. The pilot reported that at the time of the accident the engine had accrued about 959 hours of operation and 13 hours since the last inspection on March 8, 2025. The airplane was recovered to a secure location for further examination.
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 engine power (partial) during enroute (cruise) defining event
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 959 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 8, 2025; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 190° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from KIDA, 22 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KIDA 130153Z 19011KT 10SM CLR 29/05 A3009 RMK AO2 SLP142 T02890050
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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 WPR25LA210.