Improper decision-making was common thread in Idaho’s recent aviation accidents

Idaho’s Division of Aeronautics, in its Idaho Aviation Accident Score Card, found faulty aeronautic decision-making was the common thread for most of the state’s 22 general-aviation accidents. There are numerous aviation safety teachings in the coming year to combat this trend.

Most of the accidents — 68% — occurred during the takeoff or landing phase of flight.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) categorized 73% of the accidents as “pilot error.” Another 9% were listed as “mechanical/maintenance” accidents. Five percent were “environmental,” another 5% were “unknown,” and 14% are still under investigation.

The report excludes scheduled commercial-airline flights and flight activity performed by the uniformed armed services.

General aviation flying in Idaho can be challenging. Statistics indicate Idaho has traditionally experienced a higher per-capita accident rate than neighboring states. In 2013, the division set a goal of reducing the state general aviation accident rate by half over a five-year period.

The goal is being accomplished through airport standard operating procedures, welcome packets for visiting pilots, fly-in safety briefings, safety seminars, and the annual safety standdown event.

View the 5-year accident bar chart.

The report analyzes aviation accident data from two years prior, in this case 2016. The data comes from the NTSB database. It takes a couple years for investigations to be completed; thus the reason for the two-year lag.

The report includes yearly comparisons and summaries, total number of general aviation accidents, fatal accidents, fatalities, pilot qualifications, and class of aircraft.

“With this data, we can identify a particular area of emphasis when planning workshops and trainings for the next year,” said Idaho Division of Aeronautics’ Jim Hinen, who leads the safety/education unit.

Here are a few of the findings:

– Aircraft accidents decreased from 28 in 2015 to 22 in 2016
– Fatalities resulting from aircraft accidents decreased from 9 in 2015 to 1 in 2016
– Fatal accidents decreased from 4 in 2015 to 1 in 2016

The mission of the Idaho Division of Aeronautics is to promote and foster aviation within the state of Idaho. The Safety/Education unit of the Division supports this mission by providing relevant, high-quality safety information, and education programs for the benefit of stakeholders.

Calendar of coming Idaho Division of Aeronautics safety events

Here are some upcoming safety events:

May 5: Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association (AOPA) Rusty Pilot Seminar in Boise

May 9: AOPA Collision Avoidance Seminar in Coeur d’Alene

May 16: Pilot Safety Seminar in Twin Falls (with FAA Safety Team)

May 18-19: Pilot Safety Seminar at the Idaho Aviation Expo in Idaho Falls (with FAA Safety Team)

Oct. 26: Certificated Flight Instructor Roundtable in Boise

Oct. 27: Annual Safety Standdown in Boise

The number of general-aviation accidents occurring in neighboring states from highest to lowest:
– Nevada 32
– Washington 31
– Oregon 23
– Idaho 22
– Montana 18
– Utah 18
– Wyoming 10

Interstate 84 repaving in Caldwell begins in May; bridge replacement west of Caldwell to be complete this spring

Pavement rehabilitation on Interstate 84 from the Sand Hollow Interchange (exit 17) into Caldwell will begin in May.

The project will extend the life of the interstate and provide a smoother driving surface. During construction, traffic will be shifted into a crossover pattern and speeds will be reduced. Work will include reconstruction of the four ramps at the junction of I-84 and Idaho Highway 44 (exit 25). Paving is scheduled for completion this summer.

This project coincides with the ongoing bridge replacement at the Sand Hollow interchange. Bridge construction will wrap up this summer.

Work will occur during both day and night hours. Motorists are strongly encouraged to slow down and pay attention. Please check 511.idaho.gov for the latest impacts before you head out.

ITD, other community partners in saving lives honored at Donate Life event

Idaho has consistently been one of the top states in the nation when it comes to saying yes to saving lives. These achievements are due in large part to hard work and collaboration. An event celebrating these partnerships and commemorating these successes was held Thursday (April 12) at the Idaho Transportation Department’s Boise office.

Watch a short video of the event

At the event Thursday, the “Yes Idaho” Donate Life Coalition honored local community partners who have been an integral part of saving lives through organ donation. ITD has been crucial in the success of donation in Idaho during the last 20 years through organ donation notifications on drivers licenses.

Many of those partners spoke or were recognized at the event, where the group also unveiled the 2018 Threads of Life Quilt. The quilt was created with individual squares made by people with a personal connection to donation. Many squares honored a loved one who made the decision to donate or to celebrate the life of a transplant recipient.

Community partners recognized included:

The Idaho Transportation Department – Thanks to ITD’s help, the registry grew by 5.2% in 2017, to 64% of the population vs. 2016 census estimate. The national average is 54%. Idaho has 800,000 drivers who chose organ donation on their Idaho licenses.

Senator Lee Heider – Senator Heider has been at advocate for donation for several years. This year, he sponsored two bills related to this topic that became law.
S1249: This legislation instructs institutions of higher education to send a link to the Yes Idaho Donor Registry to their students twice each year.
S1250: Provides for a reminder email to be sent to state employees reminding them that the state of Idaho provides 30 days paid leave for any state employee donating a kidney.

Lillie Kaster — A donor mother who honored the memory of her son by educating the public about the importance of donation. She has reached out to rodeo royalty and recruited ambassadors for donation. They carry a “Yes Idaho” flag in parades while on horseback and speak at public events, sharing the message of donation.

KTVB Channel 7 – The media partner ran a series of stories last spring and four more last fall profiling people and their families touched by organ donation.

There are almost 300 people in Idaho currently waiting for a life-saving transplant. We are very grateful to our community partners for their dedication to saving the lives of those who are waiting. For more information about organ, eye and tissue donation, please log on to the “Yes Idaho” website.

Resurfacing section of ID-62 in north-central Idaho begins April 16

Work to resurface Idaho Highway 62 between Craigmont and Nezperce will begin Monday, April 16. Construction will last two months.

Flaggers will facilitate alternating, one-way traffic through the 11-mile construction zone. Travelers can expect reduced speeds and delays up to 15 minutes.

Knife River Corporation will complete the work for $1.7 million.

For the latest construction updates, visit 511. To learn more about other construction projects in the region, find the construction list at the district webpage.

Repairs return to ID-3 north of Kendrick after 2017 slide

Construction will start again on Monday, April 16 to finish repairs to Idaho Highway 3 between Kendrick and Deary.

Flaggers will facilitate alternating, one-way traffic while crews resurface Bear Ridge Grade just north of Kendrick and replace a culvert underneath the highway. Travelers can expect 15-minute delays.

Since the highway was damaged by a landslide last March, crews have constructed a soil nail wall, which was completed in January, to stabilize the slope beneath the highway and prevent future slides. Work over the coming months will conclude repairs.

After work is completed in July, the highway will feature fresh pavement and preventative measures to reduce any further damage from slides.

Knife River Corporation will complete the final round of repairs for a total cost of $3.3 million.

Construction on US-12 in north-central Idaho to start April 16

Work to construct nearly $17 million in infrastructure and safety improvements on US-12 in north-central Idaho will begin Monday, April 16. Work is scheduled to be completed in October.

Improvements include the replacement of two old bridges over Maggie and Fish creeks and the repaving of more than 50 miles of the highway between Lowell and the Idaho-Montana border. The Maggie Creek Bridge was built in 1949, and the Fish Creek Bridge in 1952.

Construction will begin first on Fish Creek Bridge on April 16, and work is expected to start on Maggie Creek Bridge by April 30. Paving work is not scheduled to start until June.

Temporary signals will facilitate alternating, one-way traffic over the bridges during construction. Travelers can expect short delays during bridgework, and once paving starts, they should expect delays of more than two hours throughout the entire corridor.

Concrete Placing Company will replace Fish Creek Bridge, and Braun-Jensen Inc. will replace Maggie Creek Bridge for a combined cost of $3.6 million. Knife River Corporation will repave the highway for $13.3 million.

To learn more about construction and subscribe to updates, visit itd.idaho.gov/US12. For immediate construction impacts on this and other routes, visit 511.idaho.gov.

Day work begins on April 9 to resurface I-90 in CDA

Daytime construction work on Interstate 90 between Northwest Boulevard and Ninth Street will begin on Monday, April 9. Construction will last until October.

This project will resurface the interstate, increase height clearances of the bridges and improve traveler safety with new guardrail, signs and lighting.

Two lanes will remain open in each direction, but commuters can expect speed reductions and narrow lanes.

Later this season, there will be intermittent ramp closures during the day and at night as crews work on the shoulders and repave several ramps along the interstate, including those at Northwest Boulevard and Fourth Street. The surface of the westbound Centennial Bridge will also be repaired.

Crews will work at night, during the day and most Saturdays throughout the project. Ramp closures will be announced through roadside signs, 511 and a weekly e-newsletter.

This is the final year of a two-year project to resurface and reconstruct the interstate between Northwest Boulevard and Sherman Avenue. Last year, the interstate was reconstructed between Sherman Avenue and Ninth Street, and the eastbound Centennial Bridge received minor maintenance work.

Interstate Concrete and Asphalt will perform the work for $23.5 million.

To subscribe to the newsletter on construction impacts in the Coeur d’Alene area, contact Megan Sausser at Megan.Sausser@itd.idaho.gov.

Preservation work on area bridges will require full closure of Emerald Street overpass in Boise for one month beginning in mid-April

Preservation work on numerous Treasure Valley bridges will begin this spring. Work on the Emerald Street bridge between Cole Road and Curtis Road over I-184 (the Connector) will require a full closure.

Improvements will protect and preserve bridge life.

Construction on Emerald is scheduled for mid-April through late May. During construction, the bridge will be closed to automobile traffic. Pedestrian and bicycle access will remain open over the bridge. Access to local streets, homes and business in the area will be maintained.

Schedule may change due to weather.

During construction, the detour for Emerald will be Fairview Avenue or Franklin Street via Cole and Curtis. Noise and light impacts are anticipated in the work zone. Overnight lane closures on the Connector will occur near the bridge.

Preservation work on other bridges elsewhere will not require full closures. Motorists can expect lane reductions and reduced speeds in the following locations, April through May:
– I-84, Meridian Road Interchange
– I-84, Broadway Avenue Interchange
– I-84, Cole-Overland Interchange
– I-84, Gowen Road Interchange
– Broadway Avenue, Boise River Bridge

Cannon Builders is the contractor on this $2.7 million project. For up-to-date construction information, visit 511.idaho.gov.

Public invited to meeting on April 12 about Strong Creek Bridge replacement in North Idaho

The Idaho Transportation Department will host a public meeting April 12 to share plans to replace the bridge over Strong Creek in East Hope on the business route of Idaho Highway 200.

The meeting will be held from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Memorial Community Center at 415 Wellington Place. The public is welcome to arrive at any time to talk to project staff and provide comments.

Work to replace the bridge is scheduled for summer 2020. Construction will likely require the complete shutdown of the bridge, with traffic currently planned to detour on ID-200 around the work zone for most of construction.

Comments will be collected from April 12-26, 2018. They can be emailed to the project manager Lee Bernardi at Lee.Bernardi@ITD.idaho.gov or mailed to the office at 600 West Prairie Avenue, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815.

Those who cannot attend may learn more about the project and comment online by visiting www.itd.idaho.gov/d1, selecting projects and finding “ID-200B: Strong Creek Bridge.”

Westbound I-84 construction between Kimberly/Hansen and Ridgeway Road exits starts April 2

The week of April 2, pavement rehabilitation is expected to begin in eastern Jerome County along the westbound lanes of Interstate 84 between the exits at Kimberly/Hansen (Exit 182) and Ridgeway Road (Exit 194).

This is part of a 12-mile reconstruction project anticipated to last through mid-November.

During construction, traffic on I-84 will be reduced to one lane in each direction and some ramp closures will occur. Drivers should expect reduced speeds throughout the project and watch for crews during working hours – Monday through Saturday, 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Additionally, six I-84 westbound on- and off-ramps will be reconstructed throughout the boundaries of the project. Crews will also hydro-blast and overlay bridge decks, replace existing pipes throughout the work zone with treated pipes that increase water flow and are longer-lasting, and excavate dirt below the overpasses to increase overhead clearance by as much as two feet.

Knife River Corp. Northwest from Boise is the contractor for this $23 million project.

Drivers are advised to check 511.idaho.gov for updates during construction.