SEA07LA137

Just after takeoff, the pilot made a turn of almost 180 degrees to the right, and soon thereafter made a turn of almost 180 degrees to the left. The pilot was maneuvering in this manner in order to get a good view of the hangar/terminal area at the northeast end of the airport. After the accident, he did not remember anything after rolling out of the second turn. There were no witnesses to the aforementioned turn sequence, but an individual driving by on a nearby road saw the airplane impact the terrain just north of where the pilot remembers rolling out of the second turn. Although the witness, whose attention was focused on his driving, did not take notice of the airplane until just before it hit the ground, he said that it appeared to him that the pilot may have been attempting to turn back to the airport. He further stated that it appeared to him that one of the airplane's wings may have been the first part of the structure to hit the ground. The airframe and engine underwent partial teardown inspections, and no evidence of any malfunction or anomaly was found.

On May 28, 2007, about 0700 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 182, N2164R, impacted the terrain while maneuvering after takeoff from Canyonlands Airport, Moab, Utah. The airline transport pilot received serious injuries, and the airplane, which is owned and operated by Slickrock Air Guides, sustained substantial damage. The airplane was departing Moab on a 14 CFR Part 91 flight to Green River, Utah, in order to pick up passengers for a 14 CFR Part 135 flight back to Moab. The takeoff was performed in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed. The ELT was activated by the impact sequence.

According to the pilot, just after takeoff from runway 03, he made a turn of almost 180 degrees to the right, and soon thereafter made a turn of almost 180 degrees to the left. He was maneuvering in this manner in order to get a good view of the hangar/terminal area at the northeast end of the airport. The pilot, who temporarily lost consciousness after the accident, did not remember anything about the sequence of events that occurred after he rolled out from the second turn.

There were no witnesses to the aforementioned turn sequence, but an individual driving by on a nearby road reported, during a telephone interview, that he saw the airplane impact the terrain just north of where the pilot remembers rolling out of the second turn. Although the witness, whose attention was focused on his driving, did not take notice of the airplane until just before it hit the ground, he said that it appeared to him that the pilot may have been attempting to turn back to the airport. He further stated that it appeared to him that one of the airplane's wings may have been the first part of the structure to hit the ground.

Examination of the aircraft at the accident site revealed that the entire nose section forward of the door hinge bulkhead was bent upward about 60 degrees. The right wing was bent aft about 45 degrees, and had separated from the fuselage at the main spar attach fitting. Both wings showed significant rearward crushing outboard of the lift strut attach fittings.

The airframe and engine underwent partial teardown inspections, and no evidence of any malfunction or anomaly was found.