Piper PA-34-220T accident near Rexburg, ID
On March 5, 2003, a Piper PA-34-220T (airplane) was involved in an accident near Rexburg, ID. 4 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- March 5, 2003
- Place
- Rexburg, ID
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-220T · Airplane
- Injuries
- 4 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 43.849°N, 111.807°W
- NTSB ID
- 20030317X00345
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On March 5, 2003, approximately 1650 mountain standard time (MST), a Piper PA-34-220T, N9257X, impacted the terrain while on a visual flight rules final approach to Madison County Airport, Rexburg, Idaho. The commercial pilot and his three passengers received fatal injuries, and the aircraft, which was owned and operated by the pilot, was destroyed. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal pleasure flight, which departed Lamar, Colorado, about 1222, was operating in visual meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. The flight had been on an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan, but the pilot had canceled the flight plan at 1634. On the morning of the flight, prior to his departure from Shreveport, Louisiana, the pilot contacted the FAA's Automated Flight Service Station and received a weather briefing for both legs of the trip he planned to take that day. The first portion of the briefing addressed his planned route from Shreveport to Colorado Springs, Colorado, and the second portion addressed the route from Colorado Springs to Rexburg. The pilot departed Shreveport at 0854 central standard time for the first leg of the flight, but ultimately decided to divert into Lamar, Colorado, which was 100 nautical miles closer to his point of departure. He advised the Denver Center controller that the reason for the diversion was that higher than expected winds were slowing his progress and he "didn't want to take a chance on fuel." FAA records show that the pilot was cleared for an approach at Lamar at 1120 MST, and that he canceled his IFR flight plan at 1120
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while on final approach. High and gusting winds were a factor.
More accidents in ID
- Boeing 737, Jan 9, 2021
- Cessna TU206, Jul 5, 2020
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-36, Jan 15, 1996
- Cessna T303, Mar 3, 1998
- Cessna TU-206-G, Jul 3, 1988
Browse: Idaho · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
