Cessna 208B accident near Salmon, Idaho, August 9, 2026
On August 9, 2026 at about 8:20 pm local time, a 2013 Cessna 208B, registered N247JP, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern base) near Salmon, Idaho (Lemhi County airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 9 people were 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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 2026 · about 8:20 pm local time · cases in 2026
- Place
- Salmon, Idaho · Lemhi County · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 9 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 208B, built 2013 · all 208Bs on the register
- Registration
- N247JP · registry record · serial 208B5047
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On August 9, 2026, at 1420 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 208B airplane, N247JP, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Salmon, Idaho. The pilot and eight passengers were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 135 on-demand air taxi flight. The pilot reported that, after an uneventful flight from the departure airport, he joined the downwind leg of the traffic pattern for runway 17. While turning onto the base leg, he extended the wing flaps in preparation for landing and subsequently heard a loud “pop.” Immediately thereafter, the airplane made an aggressive, uncommanded roll to the left and banked to about 45°. The pilot attempted to regain lateral control by applying right aileron. He moved the control yoke to the full right aileron position and adjusted the aileron trim to the full right setting. The airplane touched down normally, and the pilot taxied it to the ramp without further incident. Following the landing, a company mechanic examined the flight control systems and found substantial damage to the left wing spar. A preliminary examination identified a loose flap bolt that allowed the lower portion of the aft bellcrank to move freely. The aft bellcrank was designed to attach to the airplane with a bolt secured to an anchor nut assembly on its lower surface (see figure 1). The hardware will be retained for further examination. Figure 1: Diagram showing the location of the loose bolt
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
- Flight control sys malf/fail during approach (VFR pattern base) defining event
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,229 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 27, 2026; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,842 lb
- Seats: 12
- Landing gear: retractable
- Operator: Gem Air LLC
The flight
- Departed from: BOI Boise ID at 9:35 pm
- Runway 17/3, 5,510 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from KSMN
Weather report (METAR): METAR KSMN 102156Z AUTO 21005KT 7SM CLR 32/12 A2994 RMK AO2 SLP101 T03220117
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 8 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N247JP on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 208 Caravan 1,017 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,684 aircraft on the register
- Lemhi County · nearest airport
- Boise Air Trml/Gowen Field · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Idaho 1,535 since 1982 · 288 in the last ten years
- Idaho 4,199 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR26LA302.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.
