- Date
- May 5, 1996, 14:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Cascade, ID
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N185MPCessna A185E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 28, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960505009519A
- Case key
- 42362
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 improper planning/decision, his failure to ensure that the airplane would maintain proper clearance from obstructions (trees), and his delay in aborting the takeoff. The soft/wet runway and tailwind were related factors.
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 reported that he initiated a soft field takeoff on a wet and soft grass strip. The airplane lifted off and the pilot leveled the airplane at 10 feet above ground level to increase speed. The pilot stated that the wind shifted to a tailwind and the airspeed dropped 10 knots. The airplane would not clear small trees at the end of the runway, and the pilot aborted the takeoff after colliding with the first trees. The airplane then landed approximately 300 feet from the end of the runway.
Factual narrative
On May 5, 1996, at 1400 mountain daylight time, a Cessna A185E, N185MP, registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, collided with trees during an aborted takeoff from a private airstrip located 31 miles east of Cascade, Idaho. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged and the airline transport pilot and his passenger were not injured. The intended destination for this flight was to Hailey, Idaho.
The pilot reported that he had made a precautionary landing at the private grass airstrip due to weather. According to the pilot, after the weather improved, he executed a soft field takeoff but, after leveling off at 10 feet above ground level to increase airspeed, the aircraft would not accelerate above 60 miles per hour indicated airspeed. The pilot stated that he felt that there was now a tailwind. The aircraft's airspeed subsequently "dropped about 10 miles per hour" and, upon reaching the end of the runway, the aircraft collided with the tops of small trees before the pilot retarded the throttle and aborted the takeoff. The airplane landed approximately 300 feet off the end of the runway.
The pilot reported that the grass strip was wet and soft with standing water at the north end.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N185MP
- Reported as
- Cessna A185E
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18501168
- Airframe hours
- 1,594
- Engine
- Continental IO-520D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Mark S. Swint
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 24, 1995 · 94 hours before
- Destination
- SUN · Hailey, ID
- Airport
- Morgan Ranch, runway 18, 2,000 × 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
- 45
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 12,000 total · 130 in this make and model · 7,000 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 45 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.