Pilot Debrief

SONEX AIRCRAFT ONEX near Caldwell, ID — 2026-02-06

Investigation ongoingWPR26FA101
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Date
2026-02-06
Location
Caldwell, ID, USA
Airport
EUL
Aircraft
SONEX AIRCRAFT ONEX
Registration
N362DZ
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1

Probable cause

NTSB has not published a probable cause for this accident yet. Preliminary reports describe what happened; the cause is determined later, often 12–24 months after the event.

NTSB narrative

On February 6, 2026, about 0945 mountain standard time, a Sonex Onex airplane, N362DZ, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Caldwell, Idaho. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. A witness reported that he observed the accident airplane depart runway 12 at Caldwell Executive Airport (EUL) Caldwell, Idaho. The airplane transitioned into an initial climb and reached an altitude of about 200–300 ft above ground level. The airplane then entered a shallow right turn followed by a left turn that suddenly steepened to a bank angle of about 90°. During this maneuver, the witness reported that the airplane rapidly rolled to the right and then descended out of his field of view. The airplane impacted a field about 850 ft southeast of the runway departure end at an elevation of about 2,435 ft mean sea level. All major structures were located at the accident site. Flight control continuity was traced from the cockpit to the elevator, aileron, and rudder flight control surfaces. The main wreckage, consisting of the fuselage, wings, engine, and empennage, was oriented to the northeast. Impact signatures were consistent with a near wings-level attitude at a shallow descent angle. The impact ground scar was confined to the immediate wreckage area. A handheld GPS unit was retained for data recovery. The wreckage was recovered and transported to a secure facility for further examination. Figure 1: Accident Site

Preliminary NTSB coding

  • Loss of control in flight · Initial climb
  • Loss of Control on Takeoff/Initial Climb
View NTSB preliminary report

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