Hamilton Fort Ranches Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cedar City, Utah 84720
Monday, September 30, 1996 19:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, he initiated a takeoff from a private strip with what he believed was 10 degrees of flaps. After lift-off, the airplane entered a nose-up attitude, but would not gain altitude. The pilot stated that he '. . . saw no speed on airspeed indicator - decided to set it down. . .' The airplane then nosed into the ground, continued beyond the end of the airstrip, and came to a stop after sliding approximately 60 to 70 feet. Later, the pilot noted that the flaps appeared fully extended to the 40 degrees down position. Also, he noted that he must not have returned the flap switch to the neutral position, and that it did not automatically spring back.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to attain proper airspeed during takeoff, which resulted in a premature lift-off and an encounter with the terrain during the aborted landing. Excessive extension of the wing flaps was a related factor.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/30/1996
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1900
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City CEDAR CITY
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84720
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HAMILTON FORT RANCHES
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 5300
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 976
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 1 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:22AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5459H
NTSB Number SEA96LA221
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172M
Aircraft Series Identifier 172M
Aircraft Serial Number 17265452
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 29
Airframe Hours 5032
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BIRDMAN, A BUSINESS TRUST
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1642 MCCULLOCH BLVD 153
Aircraft Owner City LAKE HAVASU
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 86403
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JONATHON E. ALLEN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2928 SOUTH 6500 W
Operator City CEDAR CITY
Operator State UT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 84720
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1900
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City TORRANCE
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 4100
Runway Width 30
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --