Bryce Canyon Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bryce Canyon, Utah 84764
Wednesday, June 23, 2010 11:40 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

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.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswinds during takeoff.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/23/2010
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1140
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Bryce Canyon
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84764
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 374224N
Event Location Longitude 1120842W
Event Location Airport Bryce Canyon Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BCE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 7590
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1053 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID BCE
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
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) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 16
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.38
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) 27211
NTSB Notification Source WP-FAA Com Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 23 2010 9:49PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N55TA
NTSB Number WPR10CA304
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 A185F
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18502438
Certified Max Gross Weight 3350
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 6
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 Keith Peterman
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Fremont
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94539
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Keith Peterman
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Fremont
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 94539
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 --
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 BCE
Departure City Bryce Canyon
Departure State UT
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1140
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ALS
Destination City Alamosa
Destination State CO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 15 2011 10:06AM
User who most recently changed record broda
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 03
Runway Length 7395
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --