Cessna 180 accident near Boulder, Utah, March 13, 2016
On March 13, 2016 at about 2:00 pm local time, a 1955 Cessna 180, registered N4696B, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Boulder, Utah (Private Dirt Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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 abort the takeoff from the soft runway surface, which precluded optimal acceleration during the takeoff sequence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 13, 2016 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Boulder, Utah · Private Dirt Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180, built 1955 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N4696B · no longer on the register · serial 31594
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported that, during the takeoff run from the 2,100-ft-long soft, unimproved dirt airstrip, he observed that the propeller rpm was 2,600; he did not observe the manifold pressure reading. The pilot reported that the airplane seemed to accelerate slowly, which he thought was likely due to the soft runway surface or vegetation. About halfway to two-thirds down the runway, as the tail was coming off the ground, the pilot added a notch of flaps as the airplane continued to roll on its main landing gear. As the airplane approached the end of the runway, the pilot pulled back on the control yoke, which increased the angle of attack. The airplane then climbed about 2 ft above the ground before settling into sagebrush off the end of the runway. The airplane subsequently impacted a tree and came to rest upright about 50 yards from the tree. The pilot stated that he thought the engine might not have been producing full power and that he should have aborted the takeoff at that time. However, a postaccident examination of the airframe and engine, which included two engine test runs, did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. If the pilot had chosen to abort the takeoff when he noted that he airplane was accelerating slowly, the accident likely would have not occurred.
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
- Runway excursion during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Soft surface › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,490 hours in all; 5,500 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 6,490 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 2, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,554 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 3, 2016; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NA Boulder UT at 2:00 pm
- Destination: NA Boulder UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 2,100 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from BCE, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.