Dirt Road (Off ) Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bruneau, Idaho 83604
Thursday, November 7, 1996 16:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot landed on a short stretch of dirt road because of the physiological needs of his passengers. He did not perform takeoff distance calculations prior to attempting the takeoff to ensure that the aircraft could successfully depart from the available surface. During the attempted takeoff, the aircraft reached the end of the available road prior to liftoff, and impacted a dirt bank. The force of the impact folded the nose gear aft and tore the right main gear from the right wing.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to perform adequate preflight planning to ensure that the aircraft could complete a takeoff in the distance available. Factors relating to the accident included: a short takeoff area, and a dirt bank at the end of the road from which the pilot attempted to depart.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/7/1996
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City BRUNEAU
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83604
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DIRT ROAD (OFF AIRPORT)
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 5000
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1397
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 18 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:28AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N32518
NTSB Number SEA97LA028
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
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-28-151
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-151
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7515174
Certified Max Gross Weight 2325
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 28 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 5590
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIR, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 101 MUNICIPAL DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City NAMPA
Aircraft Owner State ID
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 83687
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROCKY MOUNTAIN AIR
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 IBNA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code S67
Destination City NAMPA
Destination State ID
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 0
Runway Length 2500
Runway Width 20
Sight Seeing flight Yes
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --