Cessna 337 N2181X

Summary

On 29 June 2015 at about 18:44 local time, a Cessna 337 registered N2181X, operated by William E. Miller, was involved in an accident near Blanding, Utah, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 June 2015 at 18:44

Classification

Accident

Location

Blanding, Utah, United States

Nearest airport

Blanding Muni (BDG)

Coordinates

37.5833, -109.4833

Aircraft

Cessna 337

Registration

N2181X

Category

Airplane

Year built

1965

Engines

2

Operator

William E. Miller

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Plainview → Hermiston

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA15CA158

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's selection of a departure runway of inadequate length for the density altitude, resulting in the airplane not gaining sufficient lift, departing the runway, and impacting terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the twin-engine airplane reported that prior to takeoff, he "didn't lean out the motors". He reported that during the takeoff roll, "there wasn't enough lift and probably the density altitude was involved." The airplane ran off the departure end of the runway into a field, impacted terrain, and sustained substantial damage to the empennage. The pilot reported that the accident was because of "pilot error." The pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engines that would have precluded normal operation.  The computed density altitude for the departure airport was 8,570 feet at the time of the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.