Cessna 172 N1166F accident near Blackfoot, Idaho

Preliminary information

On August 1, 2026, about 2301 mountain daylight time (MDT), a Cessna 172G, N1166F, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Blackfoot, Idaho. The pilot was fatally injured, and the two passengers sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

A witness reported the pilot completed 3 takeoffs and landings for night currency before departing on the accident flight about 2300 MDT.

Law enforcement received a 911 call reporting an airplane crash on a road adjacent to the airport, about 2301 MDT. No witnesses, surveillance video, or flight data captured the accident flight.

The airplane's first point of contact (FPOC) was marked by a ground scar about 33 ft inside the airport's eastern perimeter fence near the northeast corner of the airport. Paint chips, the right-wing tip and other debris extended from the FPOC through the perimeter fence to the main wreckage, which came to rest upright on the adjacent road about 30 ft beyond the airport boundary fence. The debris path was oriented about 058° magnetic, and the airplane came to rest on a heading of about 189° magnetic.

Crushing and deformation were observed throughout the fuselage, wings, empennage, cockpit, and landing gear. The right wing exhibited leading-edge crushing and compression, with buckling of the upper and lower wing skins. The wing was bent upward near the root, with deformation extending into the midspan section of the wing. Portions of the wing skin were torn and separated. The left wing exhibited extensive buckling of the outboard wing skin and leading edge. The outboard wing was bent upward and aft, with wrinkling extending inboard.

The fuselage was crushed, with substantial damage to the cabin and aft fuselage. The vertical stabilizer and rudder exhibited crushing and deformation. The horizontal stabilizer and elevator were bent and partially separated at their attachment points.

The two-bladed McCauley propeller was separated from the engine crankshaft and was located within the debris field. Both blades exhibited extensive chordwise scratches along their surfaces. One blade was separated at the blade tip. The other blade exhibited bending near the outboard end, with the blade tip bent aft along with deformation. The propeller spinner was crushed and extensively deformed.

The airplane was retained for further examination.

Text from the NTSB; a preliminary report can change and names no cause. Open the NTSB docket for WPR26FA284 for the full record.