Cessna 340 accident near Carvers, Nevada, May 3, 2019
On May 3, 2019 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 1971 Cessna 340, registered N5418M, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Carvers, Nevada (Private Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to accurately assess the available runway for the takeoff, which resulted in impact with a gravel berm.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 2019 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Carvers, Nevada · Private Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 340 Undesignat, built 1971 · all 340s on the register
- Registration
- N5418M · no longer on the register · serial 340-0029
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the multiengine airplane reported that, while using a short-field takeoff technique on a private, dirt airstrip, the airplane encountered soft patches of dirt. He rotated the airplane to initiate a climb, but the airplane could not climb higher than ground effect, and the stall horn sounded. He lowered the nose to gain airspeed, but the landing gear impacted a gravel berm, which sheared off the landing gear. The airplane then skidded 150 ft and came to rest in a dirt field past the end of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and right horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot also reported that, before takeoff, he determined that there was about 5,000 ft of usable runway; however, the runway was actually about 3,500 ft long. He added that he believed the airport elevation was about 5,000 ft mean sea level, and the density altitude was about 8,000 ft. Given this information, it is likely that the pilot's failure to accurately assess the available runway resulted in impact with a gravel berm during the attempted takeoff.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
- Runway excursion during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Performance calculations › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Takeoff distance › Attain/maintain not possible
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Attain/maintain not possible
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Debris/dirt/foreign object › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › High density altitude › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Soft surface › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 19,000 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 18,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 10, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,198 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 2, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 5,990 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental TSIO-520-N (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental TSIO-520-N (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EUL Caldwell ID at 5:45 pm
- Destination: N/A Carvers NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 5,000 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from KTMT, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on July 18, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Phone Conversation | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Airplane POH | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Accident Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.