- Date
- June 29, 2015, 12:44 local (18:44 UTC)
- Place
- Blanding, UT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N2181XCessna 337
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA Salt Lake City FSDO
- FAA report
- 20150629010089A
- Case key
- 91501
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 pilot's selection of a departure runway of inadequate length for the density altitude, resulting in the airplane not gaining sufficient lift, departing the runway, and impacting terrain.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot of the twin-engine airplane reported that prior to takeoff, he "didn't lean out the motors". He reported that during the takeoff roll, "there wasn't enough lift and probably the density altitude was involved." The airplane ran off the departure end of the runway into a field, impacted terrain, and sustained substantial damage to the empennage. The pilot reported that the accident was because of "pilot error." The pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engines that would have precluded normal operation. The computed density altitude for the departure airport was 8,570 feet at the time of the accident.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the twin-engine airplane reported that prior to takeoff, he "didn't lean out the motors". He reported that during the takeoff roll, "there wasn't enough lift and probably the density altitude was involved." The airplane ran off the departure end of the runway into a field, impacted terrain, and sustained substantial damage to the empennage. The pilot reported that the accident was because of "pilot error." The pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engines that would have precluded normal operation. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The computed density altitude for the departure airport was 8,570 feet at the time of the accident. The Federal Aviation Administration aviation safety inspector reported that the pilot was not rated for multi-engine airplanes and that the airplane was not airworthy prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2181X
- Reported as
- Cessna 337 (B)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 337-0081
- Built
- 1965
- Engines
- Continental IO360 Series, 210 horsepower, reciprocatingContinental IO360 Series, 210 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- William E. Miller
- Registered owner
- William E. Miller
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- PVW · Plainview, TX
- Destination
- HRI · Hermiston, OR
- Airport
- BDG · Blanding Muni, runway 35, 5,781 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 60
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 7, 2015
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 1,042 total · 5 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.30 inHg
- Observed at
- KBDG
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 15, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 6.4 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N2181X · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.