Dirt Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bluff, Utah 84536
Friday, September 26, 2008 8:15 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he landed on the unimproved dirt airstrip and came to a full stop. He began taxiing and started to turn around when he encountered a washed out area. The pilot stated that after proceeding about another 30 feet the left main landing gear collapsed through an eroded section of the dirt airstrip, which was not visible to him. The pilot reported that the landing gear fell about 2 feet followed by the airplane going up on its nose and the propeller striking the ground; the airplane subsequently fell back on its tailwheel. The pilot reported substantial damage to the airplane as a result of the left main landing gear strut being bent and damage to the left gear attachment structure.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's encounter with the rough, uneven, and eroded condition of the airstrip.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/26/2008
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 815
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Bluff
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84536
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 371432N
Event Location Longitude 1102534W
Event Location Airport Dirt Airstrip
Event Location Nearest Airport ID None
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 24556
NTSB Notification Source Regional Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 17 2008 6:12PM
User who most recently changed record ricj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4646A
NTSB Number SEA08CA211
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 180
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 32243
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Scott Coatsworth
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Raymond
Aircraft Owner State NE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 68428
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Scott Coatsworth
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Raymond
Operator State NE
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 68428
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
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 No
Departure Airport Code 66V
Departure City Bluff
Departure State UT
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 730
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Bluff
Destination State UT
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 17 2008 6:08PM
User who most recently changed record ricj
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --