Heimgartner Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Genesee, Idaho 83832
Saturday, March 22, 2008 9:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

"THIS CASE WAS MODIFIED MARCH 25, 2009." The airplane was departing on an aerial application sortie when the lower portion of the rudder separated and yaw control was lost. The pilot flew the airplane for approximately 1/2 hour to learn its flight characteristics at low airspeeds and low power settings. During the landing, the airplane turned sideways, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. Examination of the rudder revealed that the lower rudder attachment point had failed. The separation surfaces displayed evidence of severe corrosion. The airplane had an annual inspection on March 17, 2008, and had flown 1/2 hour since the inspection. The area where the corrosion was found and the failure occurred did not require inspection.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The in-flight failure of the rudder attachment point due to severe corrosion, which made directional control of the airplane not possible during landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/22/2008
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Genesee
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83832
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 463305N
Event Location Longitude 1165534W
Event Location Airport Heimgartner Airstrip
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
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 2460
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 956 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 165
Weather Observation Facility ID LWS
Elevation of weather observation facility 1442
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.59
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 23545
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date Mar 22 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 25 2009 2:25PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Spokane, WA

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8148K
NTSB Number LAX08LA083
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Gulfstream-Schweizer
Aircraft Model G-164B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 586B
Certified Max Gross Weight 5000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 1 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 0.5
Airframe Hours 10127
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Heimgartner Aviation LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1055 Airport Rd.
Aircraft Owner City Juliaetta
Aircraft Owner State ID
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 83535
Operator is an individual? No
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 WRUG
Owner has at least one certificate --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
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) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code PRIV
Departure City Genesee
Departure State ID
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 900
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code PRIV
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Climb - to cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 23 2008 2:39PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 1400
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --