Amateur-built Harmon Rocket accident near Hayden, Idaho, September 17, 2025
On September 17, 2025 at about 9:12 pm local time, a 2003 amateur-built Harmon Rocket, registered N686X, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Hayden, Idaho (Pappy Boyington Field). 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 loss of directional control during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 17, 2025 · about 9:12 pm local time
- Place
- Hayden, Idaho · Pappy Boyington Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Harmon Rocket, built 2003
- Registration
- N686X · registry record · serial 207
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he was conducting a local flight at his home airport in his tailwheel equipped airplane. As he was maneuvering around the traffic pattern, he initially planned a wheel landing, where the main landing gear touch down first, followed later with the tail wheel settling down on the runway. During touchdown, he did not add sufficient power and decided to transition to a three-point landing, in which all three landing gear touch down simultaneously. The airplane bounced upon touchdown, and he briefly lost visual sight of the runway. The airplane touched back down again with the nose pointed left of the runway centerline. Despite the pilot’s attempts to regain directional control, the airplane departed the left side of the runway into a dirt area. The right main gear dug into the terrain and the airplane nosed over. During the accident sequence, the airplane sustained damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that the airplane had no pre impact mechanical malfunctions or failures 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
- Runway excursion during landing
- 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 › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 679 hours in all; 51 in this make and model; 17.4 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 637 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 415 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 4, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 20 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 02/2, 5,400 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 2:10 pm from KCOE
Weather report (METAR): METAR KCOE 172110Z AUTO 12004KT 10SM CLR 29/09 A3009
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 7 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
WPR25LA280 – Accident Location Photos Figure 1: Airplane damage
Figure 2: Edge of runway and airplane location
Figure 3: Airplane tire marks, edge of runway, and final location
Figure 4: Airplane damage
Figure 5: Airplane landing gear damage (left side)
Figure 6: Airplane landing gear damage (from rear)
Figure 7: Left wing/aileron damageThe 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 November 20, 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos - Accident Scene (Provided by Operator/owner) | PDF, 7 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.