Beech C24 accident near Blanding, Utah, October 10, 2010
On October 10, 2010 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Beech C24, registered N5063M, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Blanding, Utah (Blanding Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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 attain a climb gradient sufficient to clear the rising terrain, which resulted in his decision to make a forced landing on a road.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 10, 2010 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Blanding, Utah · Blanding Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C24 R · all C24s on the register
- Registration
- N5063M · no longer on the register · serial MC-587
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
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
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Loss of lift during initial climb defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › High density altitude › Effect on operation
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Operating environment › Airport facilities/design › Runway/landing area condition › Decision related to condition
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 148 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 63 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 73 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 18, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 358 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 285 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 21, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,214 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 19, 2010
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BDG Blanding UT at 11:05 pm
- Destination: SLC Salt Lake City UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 5,781 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 16 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from CEZ, 44 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.