On April 3, 1985, a Cessna 310N (registration N5060Q) was involved in an aviation accident near Abiquiu, NM. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's loss of directional control during takeoff, which resulted in a stall and crash, due to the challenging conditions of the unimproved airstrip, high density altitude, and gusty crosswinds. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot attempted takeoff from a rough, unimproved airstrip with an uphill gradient and gusty crosswinds. Directional control was lost during the roll, leading to a stall and crash after clearing a fence.
What happened
The pilot initiated a takeoff attempt from an unimproved airstrip characterized by rough terrain and a 3% uphill gradient. Environmental conditions at the time included high density altitude and gusty crosswinds, which likely contributed to the difficulty in maintaining control.
During the acceleration phase of the takeoff roll, the pilot lost directional control of the aircraft. Despite the loss of control, the airplane managed to lift off the ground and cleared a boundary fence located at the end of the runway area. However, shortly after becoming airborne, the aircraft entered a stall condition.
The stall resulted in an immediate crash landing on the opposite side of the boundary fence. The sequence of events indicates that the combination of the challenging airstrip surface, elevation-related performance limitations, and wind conditions overwhelmed the pilot's ability to maintain safe flight parameters during the critical takeoff phase.
Findings
Loss of directional control during the takeoff roll on an unimproved surface.
The aircraft cleared a boundary fence but subsequently stalled.
Contributing factors included high density altitude and gusty crosswinds.
Probable cause
The pilot's loss of directional control during takeoff, which resulted in a stall and crash, due to the challenging conditions of the unimproved airstrip, high density altitude, and gusty crosswinds.