Event WPR20LA017

Factual narrative

On October 24, 2019, about 1600 mountain standard time, a Cessna 205A, N8326Z, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Payson, Arizona. The pilot and two passengers were?not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The flight departed from Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (BJC), Denver, Colorado, earlier in the morning. The pilot added 40 gallons of fuel to the airplane at Payson Airport, Payson, Arizona, before departing at 1545. His intention was to fly to Red Creek airstrip and camp there overnight. Red Creek is an unimproved airstrip located within the Tonto National Forest at an elevation of about 2,300 ft. It is composed of a single dirt runway (designation 6/24) that is about 1,200 ft long and 15 ft wide, on a 1.3° slope (15 ft rise) to the west. The airstrip is surrounded by rising terrain, which, according to the Arizona Pilots Association and the Recreational Aviation Foundation, necessitates landing on runway 24 and departing from runway 6. The pilot reported that the flight to Red Creek lasted about 10 minutes, and upon arrival, he overflew the airstrip and observed the windsock, which indicated a direct right crosswind for runway 24, with wind speeds that he estimated to be between 4 and 9 knots. He initiated a landing approach to runway 24 and performed a go-around after judging that the airplane was too high. He reported that the second approach was stabilized, and after touching down, he applied the brakes; however, the airplane became airborne again. He applied full engine throttle and continued to fly the airplane in ground effect until reaching the end of the runway. He then pulled back on the control yoke to initiate a climb, but the airplane was unable to outclimb the rising terrain and impacted vegetation about 500 ft beyond the runway threshold and nosed over. The pilot did not retract the flaps, which remained extended to 40° throughout. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation, and this was the first time he had landed at the airstrip. He stated that the airplane was loaded below its maximum gross weight, but in hindsight, he should have reduced the weight further by both taking on less fuel and reducing baggage. An airstrip bulletin published by Arizona Pilots Association and the Recreational Aviation Foundation stated: Neither the authors of this bulletin, nor the U.S. Forest Service, encourage the use of the Red Creek airstrip!... Know your aircraft’s short field performance and your capabilities!...Winds are unpredictable, but southwest winds are prevalent, causing a potential downdraft at the approach to runway 24....Departure is typically via 6, and you may need to wait out adverse winds! Directional control can be a challenge, and quartering tail winds have contributed to the destruction of several aircraft! The pilot stated that although he was aware of the airport features, he had not familiarized himself with the number of accidents that had happened there before and that, if he had, he likely would have chosen an alternate airport after encountering the wind conditions during the first landing attempt. The airplane owner’s manual does not provide specific instructions for a balked landing; however, it indicates a flap setting of 40° for short field landings and a flaps setting of 20º for soft-field takeoffs during which the airplane should be flown level in ground effect until a safe climb speed has been established. Additionally, the manual states that if an obstruction ahead requires a steep climb angle, the airplane should be flown at the best angle of climb with flaps up and maximum power. The pilot was landing in crosswind conditions at a 1,200-ft-long remote desert airstrip and performed a go-around after approaching the runway too high. The second approach was stabilized, and, after touching down, he applied the brakes; however, the airplane became airborne again. He applied full engine throttle and continued to fly the airplane in ground effect until reaching the end of the runway. He then pulled back on the control yoke to initiate a climb, but the airplane was unable to climb above the rising terrain and impacted vegetation about 500 ft beyond the runway threshold. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The wing flaps were found extended to 40° following the accident. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the pilot’s failure to reduce the flap extension upon initiating the aborted landing, which resulted in degraded climb performance and impact with vegetation at the end of the runway. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

• — Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Incorrect action performance-Pilot
• — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot
• — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Aircraft capability-Climb capability-Not attained/maintained