Event DEN00LA103

Factual narrative

On June 6, 2000, approximately 0800 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 185B, N185RL, was destroyed by fire following a forced landing at Mineral Canyon Airfield near Moab, Utah. The commercial pilot and his two passengers were not injured. The airplane was being operated by the pilot under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight that was originating at the time of the accident. No flight plan had been filed. The pilot said that as the airplane lifted off, he smelled smoke and the engine began losing power. There was still runway ahead, so he landed the airplane. The airplane went off the end of the runway and traveled approximately 100 to 200 feet in tall grass. The pilot said that flames immediately erupted from the left side of the engine compartment, and "completely engulfed the airplane within 30 seconds." Salvage personnel who recovered the airplane reported that the fire had been so intense that "everything in the engine compartment area had melted/burned away except for steel components." The pilot said that as the airplane lifted off, he smelled smoke and the engine began losing power. He said that he still had runway under him, so he landed the airplane. The airplane continued beyond the runway approximately 100 to 200 feet, and came to rest in tall grass. The pilot said that flames immediately erupted from the left side of the engine compartment. He said that flames 'completely engulfed the airplane within 30 seconds.' The salvage man that recovered the airplane reported that the fire had been so intense that 'everything in the engine compartment area had melted/burned away except for steel components.' Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12