What happened
On June 18, 2011, a Cessna TU206G operated by Cooper Aerial Photo Inc was preparing for a return flight following a completed photo mission. The flight was intended to depart from a local airport near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, to the operator's home airport in another state. While the pilot noted increasing winds during pre-flight preparations, the weather was reported as clear with 20 miles of visibility.
After taxiing to the runway, the pilot rotated at 60 knots. Immediately after becoming airborne, a large dust devil moved across the runway and enveloped the aircraft, N735JY. The resulting dust obscured the pilot's vision, and the aircraft experienced a left yaw of approximately 150 degrees. The aircraft was forced to the right side of the runway and returned to the ground, landing on the main gear while the engine was at full power.
Following the impact with the ground, the pilot reduced power and applied full brakes. The aircraft skidded across a taxiway and collided with a runway sign. The accident resulted in no injuries to the pilot or passenger, but the aircraft sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and horizontal stabilizer.
The investigation
Investigators found no mechanical deficiencies with the aircraft. A review of automated weather reports at the airport during the time of the accident showed no recorded dust-devil activity.