Piper PA-18 accident near Paris, Idaho, October 17, 2025
On October 17, 2025 at about 8:10 pm local time, a 1952 Piper PA-18, registered N1755A, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Paris, Idaho (Bear Lake County airport). It was an instructional 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 receiving instruction’s failure to maintain directional control during landing and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 17, 2025 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Paris, Idaho · Bear Lake County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18, built 1952 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N1755A · registry record · serial 18-1314
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that on landing the pilot receiving instruction leveled the airplane and the airplane bounced. The pilot receiving instruction attempted a go-around, however the airplane touched down a second time with the nose of the airplane to the right of the runway centerline. The flight instructor took the flight controls from the pilot receiving instruction, but the airplane departed the right side of the runway and ground looped to the left, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no 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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Student/instructed pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 135 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 60 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,407 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 5,220 as pilot in command; 115 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 15, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,900 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AOC Arco ID at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 16/3, 4,590 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 2:15 pm from 1U7
Weather report (METAR): METAR K1U7 172115Z AUTO 27009KT 10SM CLR 11/01 A3004 RMK A01
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The 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 January 9, 2026. 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 | Photos | PDF, 3 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.