Where were going, we dont need roads

The private pilot/owner planned to fly to at least two back country airports in a neighboring state. His first destination was an unpaved USFS strip. The runway, oriented 11/29, was reported to be 2765 feet long and 50 feet wide. It was located in a narrow valley, and situated about 30 feet southwest of the main road that transited the valley. An unpaved road exited the main road immediately southeast of the threshold of Runway 29, and then turned northwest to initially merge with the runway. About 300 feet northwest of the threshold, the unpaved road diverged slightly southwest of the runway, before assuming a track separate from but parallel to the runway.

Key Takeaways:

• A pilot mistakenly attempted takeoff on an unpaved road adjacent to the runway at a backcountry airport, resulting in an accident and substantial damage to the aircraft.
• The confusion arose because the unpaved road merged with the runway at the departure threshold, a contributing factor not adequately documented in flight information.
• Following the incident, the Idaho Transportation Department updated its Airport Facility Directory with a cautionary note about the road to prevent similar confusion.

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