Eckhard International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Porthill, Idaho 83805
Sunday, July 17, 2011 15:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight instructor reported that he was taxiing from the runway to the customs area located on the northern side of the airport, which required the airplane to taxi on a road between the runway and the U.S. Customs facility. The airplane's right wing struck a sign post on the right side of the road. The sign post dented the leading edge and bent internal wing ribs. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal flight.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a pole.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/17/2011
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Porthill
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83805
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 485925N
Event Location Longitude 1163007W
Event Location Airport Eckhard International Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 1S1
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1758
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1455 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 345
Weather Observation Facility ID KSZT
Elevation of weather observation facility 2131
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 45
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 12000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 12000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 136
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.77
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KSZT 162155Z AUTO 15003KT 10SM BKN120 24/11
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 28791
NTSB Notification Source SPOKANE FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 17 2011 5:04PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N733BT
NTSB Number WPR11CA337
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17268174
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 14 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 54
Airframe Hours 4910
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name NORTHERN AIR INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6460 2 HIGHWAY 2
Aircraft Owner City BONNERS FERRY
Aircraft Owner State ID
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 83805-5211
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name NORTHERN AIR INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 6460 2 HIGHWAY 2
Operator City BONNERS FERRY
Operator State ID
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 83805-5211
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code KSZT
Departure City Sandpoint
Departure State ID
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1420
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code KSZT
Destination City Sandpoint
Destination State ID
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 17 2011 5:02PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 33
Runway Length 3650
Runway Width 175
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --