Private Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Roberts, Idaho 83444
Saturday, September 30, 1995 15:15 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that while landing on his private airstrip the left main wheel separated from the aircraft and the aircraft nosed over. According to a county sheriff report, the left main wheel retaining nut and cotter pin were missing from the axle, and there was no cotter pin securing the right main wheel retaining nut. The airplane had undergone a major rebuild and annual inspection about 5 months (12 flight hours) before the accident. The pilot stated that he performed a preflight inspection on the day of the accident but did not check the cotter pins, which are visible if installed. A statement in the sheriff report indicated that shortly before landing, the adult passenger in the rear seat unfastened his seat belt because two children in his lap were interfering with control stick travel.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

an improperly performed major rebuild and inadequate inspection of the aircraft by maintenance personnel. Inadequate preflight inspection by the pilot contributed to the accident.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/30/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1515
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City ROBERTS
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83444
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PRIVATE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 5000
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1448 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 135
Weather Observation Facility ID IDA
Elevation of weather observation facility 4741
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 5561
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 3
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1714
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 1 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 959
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1953P
NTSB Number SEA95LA229
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-18A
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-18A
Aircraft Serial Number 18-4180
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 12 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 13
Airframe Hours 4173
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LINDEN & LOIS BUTIKOFER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6138 N. 5TH W.
Aircraft Owner City IDAHO FALLS
Aircraft Owner State ID
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 83401
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name LINDEN J. BUTIKOFER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1445
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17
Runway Length 2640
Runway Width 80
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --