Idaho Falls Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Idaho Falls, Idaho 83402
Sunday, December 21, 2008 18:26 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he checked the weather information for the arrival airport during the execution of an instrument approach. He stated that the weather report indicated the winds to be light, and that the runway had been plowed and sanded but was covered with light snow and patchy ice. Just after touchdown the airplane began to drift to the left; the pilot then countered with the gradual application of right rudder. The airplane momentarily straightened out, but as the ground speed decreased, the airplane continued the left drift. The airplane then departed the runway and collided with a snow bank causing substantial damage to the firewall.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. Contributing to the accident were the icy runway conditions and a snow bank.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/21/2008
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1826
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Idaho Falls
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83402
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 433049N
Event Location Longitude 1120414W
Event Location Airport Idaho Falls Regional Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID IDA
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 4744
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1853 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID IAD
Elevation of weather observation facility 4744
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.89
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 24955
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 22 2009 2:56PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N379P
NTSB Number WPR09CA066
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-46-350P
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 4636379
Certified Max Gross Weight 4358
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 15 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 548
Airframe Hours 548
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Sapphire Valley Investments LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Vero Beach
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name David M. Grilli
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Beaufort
Operator State SC
Operator Country USA
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 --
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 GLD
Departure City Goodland
Departure State KS
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1620
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code IDA
Destination City Idaho Falls
Destination State ID
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 22 2009 2:55PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 02
Runway Length 9002
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --