Challis Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Challis, Idaho 83226
Thursday, October 16, 1997 16:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that he had landed to the south in light and variable winds in visual meteorological conditions. The airplane swerved to the right; he overcorrected, and the airplane ground-looped to the right, collapsing the right main landing gear and striking the right wing, bending the rear spar. In a written statement, the pilot noted that he 'realize[d] that I had landed a little hot and had not completely stalled. I had relaxed back pressure on the elevator and had not planted my tailwheel. I feel that fatigue and a lack of attention to the job at hand caused this accident.' He additionally noted that 'I had been working the graveyard shift for the past seven nights and I was very tired. I should have gotten a few hours of sleep before the flight.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing. Factors were inattention and fatigue.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/16/1997
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City CHALLIS
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83226
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CHALLIS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID U15
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 5078
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) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1055
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 16 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1535
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:38PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7507D
NTSB Number SEA98LA002
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-22-150
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-22-150
Aircraft Serial Number 22-5234
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
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 Sep 1 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3638
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JACKIE R. SHIPP
Aircraft Owner Street Address 403 BULLION #7
Aircraft Owner City ELKO
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89801
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
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 No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City ELKO
Departure State NV
Departure Country
Departure Time 1210
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code U15
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 16
Runway Length 4600
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --