Accident Overview
On October 10, 2010, at about 1700 mountain daylight time, a Beech C24R, registration N50634M, collided with a chain link fence at the Blanding Youth Detention Center during a forced landing. The aircraft came to rest in a watermelon patch approximately half a mile from the Blanding Municipal Airport (BDG) in Blanding, Utah. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal cross-country flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
Aircraft and Personnel
The airplane sustained structural damage to its wings and fuselage. The private pilot and the certificated commercial pilot-rated passenger were not injured; there were no injuries on the ground. The pilot had recently purchased the airplane from a friend in Georgia and was flying it to Utah.
Flight Sequence
The pilot and passenger stopped at BDG to refuel. The pilot calculated aircraft performance at that location, noting 40 gallons of fuel, winds from 300 degrees at 13 knots, density altitude of 7,500 feet, and estimated over 2,000 feet of extra runway for takeoff. The pilot stated they did not top off the fuel due to density altitude considerations. A short field takeoff was performed from runway 35. After liftoff, the pilot observed a positive rate of climb, raised the landing gear handle, and retracted flaps from 15 to 0 degrees. However, the landing gear did not retract. The engine was running at full power with no sputtering or missing. The airplane was not maintaining airspeed or able to climb away from rising terrain.
The pilot selected a road straight ahead for landing and reduced the throttle to idle before touchdown. Prior to landing, the pilot placed the landing gear handle back down to prevent gear retraction upon touchdown. Due to a left-quartering headwind, the airplane drifted right, and the left landing gear caught on a chain link fence, leading to the aircraft stopping in a watermelon patch.
Environmental and Performance Factors
The Airport Facility Directory for BDG noted a 1.6 percent up gradient to the north. According to airnav.com, runway 17 elevation was 5,867.8 feet with no obstructions; runway 35 elevation was 5,774.5 feet with obstructions (28:1 slope to clear, 620 feet from runway, 15-foot road). The airplane manufacturer stated that under the reported ambient conditions, at full power (2,700 rpm), zero flaps, and landing gear down, the airplane was capable of climbing at 227 feet per minute.
Post-Accident Examination
An NTSB investigator examined the airplane at Air Transport in Phoenix, Arizona, on December 10, 2010. No pre-existing mechanical deficiencies or failures were observed that would have precluded normal operation.
Pilot Statement
In his submitted report, the pilot noted that it may have been possible to take off from runway 17 rather than runway 35, even with a right-quartering tailwind but away from rising terrain.