No fatalities

Soft Field Takeoff Leads to Collapse and Damage After Drifting Off Runway

Amargosa Valley, NV, United States

On February 27, 2009, a CESSNA TR182 was involved in an aviation accident near Amargosa Valley, NV. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and runway alignment. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

During a soft field takeoff from a dirt runway, the airplane became airborne late, struggled to maintain airspeed, drifted left, and impacted bushes. The front landing gear folded, left main gear broke, and right wing sustained damage.

Accident Sequence

The pilot reported that during an attempted soft field takeoff from a dirt runway, the airplane became airborne approximately two-thirds of the way down the runway. He stated he was unable to maintain adequate airspeed, and the aircraft drifted to the left side of the runway. Subsequently, the airplane impacted bushes and shrubs.

Damage

During the accident sequence, the front landing gear folded back, and the left main landing gear broke off. The outboard half of the right wing was partially separated from the aircraft.

Pilot Report

The pilot's account indicates the airplane failed to achieve sufficient airspeed after becoming airborne. The drift to the left preceded the impact with vegetation. No additional details regarding the runway surface condition or environmental factors were provided.

Contributing factors

Airspeed — Not attained/maintainedPilot