# NTSB DEN00LA103: Cessna 185B, N185RL, Moab, UT, June 6, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 6, 2000, 08:00 local (14:00 UTC) - Place: Moab, UT - Coordinates: 38.530174, -109.549743 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.5302&lon=-109.5497&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 2, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 49371 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN00LA103 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/49371/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN00LA103 ## Probable cause The fire in the engine compartment for unknown reason. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Fire, takeoff - initial climb - engine compartment - fire - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing ## 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](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N185RL-2001-02-14), registration cancelled 2001-02-14, S/N 1850529 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 185B - Registry model: [Cessna 185B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-185b) (registry code 2072806) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1850529 - Engines: 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 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 34; 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20000606006139A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000606006139A), Jun 6, 2000: Cessna 185B, Moab, UT, No damage. (-23) On Tuesday, June 6, 2000 at approximately 0800 MDT Cessna 185 N185RL, piloted by scott e. chew, holder of FAA pilot certificate #523135832 aborted his… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.