# NTSB WPR25LA186: Kohut Mark A Murphy SR 2500, N6161C, Challis, ID, June 18, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: June 18, 2025, 12:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place: Challis, ID
- Coordinates: 44.808206, -114.80843
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.8082&lon=-114.8084&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report September 26, 2025
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 200374
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR25LA186
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200374/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200374
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA186

## Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Kohut Mark A MURPHY SR 2500, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=056150Y), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Kohut Mark A MURPHY SR 2500, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=056150Y), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Wind: variable wind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034025): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Kohut Mark A MURPHY SR 2500, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034025/cases.md?model=056150Y), [All aircraft, 113 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034025/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-landing roll: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Kohut Mark A MURPHY SR 2500, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=056150Y), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Kohut Mark A MURPHY SR 2500, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=056150Y), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Kohut Mark A MURPHY SR 2500, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=056150Y), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he planned to land at the remote backcountry airstrip. Before landing, he performed a series of passes along an adjacent river to assess the runway conditions and then proceeded with the landing approach. After touchdown, while the airplane was in a 3-point attitude, the airplane began to drift to the left, and the pilot was unable to maintain directional control. The airplane exited the left side of the runway and impacted a fence before it came to rest upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the empennage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N6161C](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6161C-2025-07-30), registration cancelled 2025-07-30, S/N 015SR, built 2003 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: KOHUT MARK A MURPHY SR 2500
- Registry model: [Kohut Mark A MURPHY SR 2500](https://openairdocs.org/model/kohut-mark-a-murphy-sr-2500) (registry code 056150Y) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (registry code 41532, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 015SR
- Year built: 2003
- Airframe hours: 600
- Engines: Lycoming O-540 250 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Condition, June 1, 2025, 20 hours before
- Departed: U60, Big Creek, ID
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: C53, Lower Loon Creek Airport, runway 16, 1,200 × 25 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment: ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Handheld GPS, Onboard weather, Satellite tracking device, Stall warning system

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 77; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: basicmed, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 3, 2025; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 3,224 total, 344 in this make and model, 3,212 as pilot in command, 21 in the last 90 days, 21 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 90° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observed at: KLLJ, 31 nm away
- METAR: METAR KLLJ 181755Z AUTO 09007KT 060V120 10SM CLR 26/00 A3006 RMK AO2 SLP111 T02560000 10256 20094 58017=

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 26, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200374. 6.6 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 4.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19222955&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=r_6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photographs (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 3 photos, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19223307&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos-Rel.pdf

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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