Casualties unknown

Pilot Reports Hard Landing After Storm Window Opens During Initial Climb (N1888D)

Nampa, ID, US

On August 17, 2002, a Beech C-35 (registration N1888D) was involved in an aviation accident near Nampa, ID. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control following an inadvertent opening of the airplane's storm window. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-06-10Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot reported that shortly after takeoff, at about 50 feet AGL, the storm window opened, prompting an aborted climb. During the subsequent landing, the pilot could not control the sink rate, resulting in a hard landing.

Incident Overview

According to a written statement from the pilot, the accident occurred shortly after takeoff. When the airplane reached approximately 50 feet above ground level (AGL), its storm window opened. In response, the pilot aborted the initial climb in an effort to land on the remaining runway.

Hard Landing

During the descent for landing, the pilot reported being unable to control the aircraft's rate of descent, which led to a hard landing. The pilot stated that no mechanical difficulties or malfunctions were experienced with the airplane that may have contributed to the event.

Pilot's Account

The pilot emphasized that the aircraft had not exhibited any issues prior to the incident. The abrupt opening of the storm window prompted the decision to abort the climb and return to the runway.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20020820X01437. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.