Idaho Falls Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Idaho Falls, Idaho 83402
Saturday, May 12, 2012 16:55 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot and his passenger departed from the pilot's home airport for a brief personal flight. About 10 minutes later, the pilot returned to the airport traffic area and entered the traffic pattern. In his initial telephone interview with the NTSB, the pilot reported that there "was a crosswind, with some gusting," and that the airplane bounced after its initial touchdown. It then bounced several more times, ground looped, and veered off the runway, substantially damaging the left wing. The pilot reported that he did not experience any mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane. In his subsequent written statement to the NTSB, the pilot reported that, while on the downwind leg, he was asked by the controller to "keep [the] pattern short," since his airplane was slow and there was another airplane behind him. The pilot said that he landed close behind a Cessna 182 that had just departed. The pilot was uncertain whether the bounces and loss of control were due to the wind or to the wake turbulence from the departing airplane. The automated weather observation at the airport, which was posted about 2 minutes before the accident, included variable wind at 4 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s improper landing flare, inadequate recovery from a bounced landing, and subsequent failure to maintain directional control.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/12/2012
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1655
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Idaho Falls
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83402
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 433049N
Event Location Longitude 1120415W
Event Location Airport Idaho Falls Regional
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 1653 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID IDA
Elevation of weather observation facility 4744
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 29941
NTSB Notification Source FAA NWM ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 6 2012 5:39PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N278JB
NTSB Number WPR12CA202
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-12
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 12-863
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
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 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 9 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3915
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Justin Bastiani
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Bozeman
Aircraft Owner State ID
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59718
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Steven Barnard
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Idaho Falls
Operator State ID
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 83401
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code IDA
Departure City Idaho Falls
Departure State ID
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1645
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
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 Jun 6 2012 5:39PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 35
Runway Length 4051
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --