Blanding Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Blanding, Utah 84511
Sunday, October 10, 2010 17:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Before departure, the pilot calculated the density altitude and the required takeoff distance. Due to density altitude considerations, he did not fill the fuel tanks to capacity. His calculations indicated that the required runway length was as at least 2,000 feet less than the available 5,781-foot-long runway. After the airplane lifted off, and the pilot observed a positive rate of climb, retracted the flaps to zero, and selected the landing gear to the retracted position. However, the landing gear did not retract. Due to rising terrain directly ahead, the pilot decided to make a forced landing to a road. On short final, the airplane drifted to the right and the left main landing gear struck a chain link fence. The airplane came to rest upright in a watermelon patch. Postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. According to the airplane manufacturer, for the prevailing ambient conditions, the airplane was capable of climbing 227 feet per minute.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s failure to attain a climb gradient sufficient to clear the rising terrain, which resulted in his decision to make a forced landing on a road.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/10/2010
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Blanding
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84511
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 373500N
Event Location Longitude 1092859W
Event Location Airport Blanding Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BDG
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 5868
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1455 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 115
Weather Observation Facility ID CEZ
Elevation of weather observation facility 5916
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 44
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 12000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 16
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 24
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.07
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) 30347
NTSB Notification Source FAA AMN 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 Aug 14 2012 3:34PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5063M
NTSB Number WPR11LA013
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model C24
Aircraft Series Identifier R
Aircraft Serial Number MC-587
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 19 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 6214
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name John B Parham
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Auburn
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 36832
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Max Coates
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Millville
Operator State UT
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 84326
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code BDG
Departure City Blanding
Departure State UT
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1705
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SLC
Destination City Salt Lake City
Destination State UT
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 14 2012 3:34PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 35
Runway Length 5781
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --