- Date
- June 6, 2000, 08:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Moab, UT
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N185RLCessna 185B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 2, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000606006139A
- Case key
- 49371
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The fire in the engine compartment for unknown reason.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot said that as the airplane lifted off, he smelled smoke and the engine began losing power. He said that he still had runway under him, so he landed the airplane. The airplane continued beyond the runway approximately 100 to 200 feet, and came to rest in tall grass. The pilot said that flames immediately erupted from the left side of the engine compartment. He said that flames 'completely engulfed the airplane within 30 seconds.' The salvage man that recovered the airplane reported that the fire had been so intense that 'everything in the engine compartment area had melted/burned away except for steel components.'
Factual narrative
On June 6, 2000, approximately 0800 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 185B, N185RL, was destroyed by fire following a forced landing at Mineral Canyon Airfield near Moab, Utah. The commercial pilot and his two passengers were not injured. The airplane was being operated by the pilot under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight that was originating at the time of the accident. No flight plan had been filed.
The pilot said that as the airplane lifted off, he smelled smoke and the engine began losing power. There was still runway ahead, so he landed the airplane. The airplane went off the end of the runway and traveled approximately 100 to 200 feet in tall grass. The pilot said that flames immediately erupted from the left side of the engine compartment, and "completely engulfed the airplane within 30 seconds."
Salvage personnel who recovered the airplane reported that the fire had been so intense that "everything in the engine compartment area had melted/burned away except for steel components."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N185RL
- Reported as
- Cessna 185B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1850529
- Engine
- Continental IO-520D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Scott E. Chew
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 14, 2000
- Departed
- NONE
- Destination
- CNY · Moab, UT
- Airport
- NONE · Mineral Canyon, runway 18, 2,100 × 100 ft, grass/turf
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 34
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 880 total · 400 in this make and model · 851 as pilot in command · 79 in the last 90 days · 33 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CNY, 40 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.