- Date
- October 19, 2024, 12:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Rexburg, ID
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N4846MPiper PA-11
- Defining event
- Approach: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20241019019619A
- Case key
- 195358
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot’s failure to see and avoid transmission wires during the landing approach.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings.
Analysis
The pilot stated that he was in a pumpkin drop competition that was being held on a farm field with a new landing strip. The prevailing winds necessitated that the airplanes fly over transmission wires prior to landing. The pilot stated that he dropped his pumpkins, but missed the target by a long distance. During his landing, he flew over one set of power lines and reduced power to descend and land. The airplane inadvertently struck a second, parallel set of wires that he had not seen. The pilot stated that there were no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot was hospitalized for 12 weeks following the accident.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4846M
- Reported as
- Piper PA-11
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 11-376
- Built
- 1947
- Airframe hours
- 1,350
- Engine
- Continental C90-8, 90 hp, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Air drop · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 30, 2024
- Departed
- RXE · Rexburg, ID
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- RXE · Rexburg-Madison County
- Equipment
- Satellite tracking device
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 79
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- BasicMed, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 10,800 total · 500 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.13 inHg
- Observed at
- KRXE
- METAR
- KRXE 241753Z AUTO 06004KT 10SM CLR 17/03 A3013 RMK AO2 SLP182 T01720028 10172 20039 58008
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 11, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.9 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.