- Date
- October 13, 2024, 11:40 local (17:40 UTC)
- Place
- Owinza, ID
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N9493CCessna 180
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
- 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
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20241013015869A
- Case key
- 195473
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 pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from the water during a low pass over a lake.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he descended to make a low pass over Pettit Lake. He noted that the clear weather condition with no wind impacted his depth perception as the lake surface appeared glassy. During the low pass over the water, the pilot misjudged his altitude above the lake, and the airplanes main landing gear contacted the water. The airplane then bounced and impacted the water a second time before it came to rest and sank. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that could have precluded normal operation. The airplane was not recovered.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9493C
- Reported as
- Cessna 180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31891
- Built
- 1955
- Airframe hours
- 5,415.8
- Engine
- Continental O-470-R(74), 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Blue Thunder LLC
- Registered owner
- Blue Thunder LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 9, 2023
- Departed
- SUN · Hailey, ID
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator
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
- 75
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- BasicMed, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 25, 2024
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,400 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.27 inHg
- Observed at
- KSUN, 33 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KSUN 131755Z 21003KT 10SM CLR 20/M01 A3027=
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 22, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.5 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.