Cessna T210M accident near Challis, Idaho, April 10, 2015
On April 10, 2015 at about 6:25 pm local time, a 1977 Cessna T210M, registered N732YQ, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Challis, Idaho (Upper Loon Creek Usfs airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's attempt to depart in conditions that resulted in the airplane having insufficient performance capability, which resulted in a collision with a tree.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 10, 2015 · about 6:25 pm local time
- Place
- Challis, Idaho · Upper Loon Creek Usfs · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210M, built 1977 · all T210Ms on the register
- Registration
- N732YQ · no longer on the register · serial 21061884
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot and three passengers had landed at a remote airstrip earlier in the morning to visit the pilot's ranch. The published guidance for the airstrip noted that the runway was 2,500 ft long and 75 ft wide. After being on the ground about 2 hours 30 minutes, the pilot indicated to ranch personnel that he wanted to depart before the wind increased. Shortly thereafter, the airplane departed with an estimated 4- to 5-kt tailwind. During the initial climb, the nose landing gear and left tire impacted a tree (which was about 50 ft tall) located about 100 ft from the fence that made the perimeter of the runway. The left tire then likely impacted the left horizontal stabilizer and elevator, rendering the airplane uncontrollable. The airplane then descended into a creek and came to rest inverted; a postimpact fire ensued. There was no evidence of any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The performance data were calculated using the estimated airplane and environmental conditions at the time of the accident. The distance required to clear a 50-ft obstacle for a takeoff with a 5-kt tailwind from a dry grass runway similar to the accident runway was about 2,675 ft. The actual distance from the area where the pilot began the takeoff roll to the first impacted tree was about 2,625 ft, which indicates that the airplane did not have the sufficient performance capability to climb over the tree. The pilot frequently flew into the airstrip and was familiar with the terrain and departure procedures, and GPS data revealed that the pilot departed from the airstrip on nine prior occasions in the past year. Comparison of these flights to the accident flight revealed that the pilot's flightpath was normally to the right of the accident flightpath. The pilot likely would have not been able to see the tree due to the airplane's nose-high pitch configuration during the 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
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Climb capability › Capability exceeded
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on equipment
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,051 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,669 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 8, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 3,803 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental Motors Inc. TSIO-520-R9B (piston); 3,669 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: U72 Challis ID at 6:25 pm
- Destination: DIJ Driggs ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04, 2,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from KLLJ, 26 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.