Staudacher S-260-2 N540S
11 June 1997 · Wallace, Idaho, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 11 June 1997 at about 21:00 local time, a Staudacher S-260-2 registered N540S was involved in an accident near Wallace, Idaho, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 21:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Wallace, Idaho, United States
- Coordinates
- 47.6102, -115.9092
- Aircraft
- Staudacher S-260-2
- Registration
- N540S
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Helena → Spokane
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- SEA97LA136
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
the pilot's improper planning/decision, which resulted in his failure to maintain adequate altitude/distance from wooded terrain during a low-altitude course reversal. Related factors include mountainous/hilly terrain, blind canyon, low ceiling, and trees in the flight path of the aircraft.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot was flying low through a mountain valley when he observed low clouds and fog in the pass through which he was about to fly. He therefore elected to make a course reversal, but the airplane impacted trees on a ridge near one side of the valley.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Sep 1997 | Piper PA-18-150 | Dixie, Idaho, United States | Frank E. Brown | Serious injuries | - |
| 11 Oct 1997 | Piper PA-28-181 | Leadore, Idaho, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 16 Oct 1997 | Piper PA-22-150 | Challis, Idaho, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 27 Oct 1997 | Piper PA-28-180 | Midvale, Idaho, United States | Warfield, DAN, L. | Fatal | 1 |
| 4 Nov 1997 | Luscombe 8F | Boise, Idaho, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 4 Dec 1997 | Blue Denney KITFOX MODEL 3 | Caldwell, Idaho, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |