Cessna P210N accident near Salmon, Idaho, September 28, 2005
On September 28, 2005 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Cessna P210N, registered N45SE, was destroyed in an accident near Salmon, Idaho (Flying B Ranch Landing Strip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to obtain airspeed during the initial takeoff climb, which resulted in a stall/mush and subsequent collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 28, 2005 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Salmon, Idaho · Flying B Ranch Landing Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P210N · all P210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N45SE · registry record · serial P21000267
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and passenger were returning home after spending several days on an elk hunting trip in the Idaho backcountry. One of them had shot an elk, and they loaded the airplane with the four elk quarters and their personal gear. A witness heard the airplane taking off and it "didn't sound right." He looked towards the 2,000-foot-long grass airstrip and saw the airplane "barely off the ground" heading south. The witness stated that the airplane was "wallowing back and forth, trying to stall out." He further stated that the "motor sounded like a boat cavitating" and "the nose of the airplane was pointed up." The witness watched the airplane as it veered left and impacted the ground tail first. The airplane's nose then "slammed into the ground," and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. A fire erupted, which destroyed the fuselage and the inboard sections of the wings. The accident site was about 1/4 mile from the end of the runway, offset to the left of the runway centerline, and approximately the same elevation as the runway. The site was located on level grass covered terrain. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any abnormalities that would have prevented normal operation. The pilot began flying the airplane, which had been modified by replacement of its original reciprocating engine with a gas turbine engine, about 4 months before the accident and according to his logbook, had accumulated about 22 hours flight time in it. He had about 1,167 hours in other non-modified airplanes of the same make and model. An estimated weight and balance placed the airplane's takeoff weight at 3,729.4 pounds, which was below the maximum gross weight of 4,000 pounds. The estimated center of gravity was 48.57 inches, which was within, but near, the aft limit of 49 inches. A short field landing performance chart indicated that for the approximate accident conditions, the takeoff ground roll would be 1,581 feet and the total distance to clear a 50 foot obstacle would be 2,461 feet. A pilot, who had experience flying the accident airplane, stated the following with respect to its performance: "Weight and balance is very, very critical. With weight aft, you really need to hold the nose down and gain airspeed on 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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,939 hours in all; 1,167 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,004 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls-Royce 250-B17F (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 12ID Salmon ID at 11:15 pm
- Destination: Boise ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway S, 2,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.