- Date
- June 23, 2010, 11:40 local (17:40 UTC)
- Place
- Bryce Canyon, UT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N55TACessna A185F
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 21, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20100623035959A
- Case key
- 76412
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 inadequate compensation for the crosswinds during takeoff.
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 was departing from the airport and the winds were variable, with reported wind gusts to 15 knots. Due to the variable winds he elected to depart from runway 30. The airplane accelerated normally down the runway and the pilot applied forward elevator to prevent a premature lift-off. The airplane began to drift to the left and the pilot applied aileron and rudder. He was not able to return the airplane to the center of the runway and the right wing began to drag on the surface. He then closed the throttle and the airplane struck brush with the right wing down. The airplane came to rest about 100 feet to the left of the runway edge and about 1,500 feet from the departure end of the runway with damage to the landing gear, engine, and empennage. The pilot did not report any preaccident mechanical anomalies. Winds at the airport 15 minutes prior to the accident were from the southeast at 13 knots, gusting to 18 knots; 10 minutes prior to the accident they were from the south-southeast at 9 knots, gusting to 17 knots; at the time of the accident winds were from the south at 16 knots, gusting to 21 knots.
Factual narrative
The pilot was departing from the airport and the winds were variable, with reported wind gusts to 15 knots. Due to the variable winds he elected to depart from runway 30. The airplane accelerated normally down the runway and the pilot applied forward elevator to prevent a premature lift-off. The airplane began to drift to the left and the pilot applied aileron and rudder. He was not able to return the airplane to the center of the runway and the right wing began to drag on the surface. He then closed the throttle and the airplane struck brush with the right wing down. The airplane came to rest about 100 feet to the left of the runway edge and about 1,500 feet from the departure end of the runway with damage to the landing gear, engine, and empennage. The pilot did not report any preaccident mechanical anomalies. Winds at the airport 15 minutes prior to the accident were from the southeast at 13 knots, gusting to 18 knots; 10 minutes prior to the accident they were from the south-southeast at 9 knots, gusting to 17 knots; at the time of the accident winds were from the south at 16 knots, gusting to 21 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N55TA
- Reported as
- Cessna A185F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18502438
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-D, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Keith Peterman
- Registered owner
- Keith Peterman
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- BCE · Bryce Canyon, UT
- Destination
- ALS · Alamosa, CO
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- BCE · Bryce Canyon Airport, runway 03, 7,395 × 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
- 71
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,503 total · 2,117 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 7 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.37 inHg
- Observed at
- BCE
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 22, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.6 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.