N3348R

On October 7, 2003, approximately 1430 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 182L, N3348R, registered to and operated by the pilot, was destroyed when it impacted terrain during takeoff from an abandoned dirt airstrip at Randolph, Utah. The private pilot, the sole occupant on board, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the business flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.

According to the pilot, he made a short-field takeoff and corrected for a right crosswind. He attained an altitude of 75 to 100 feet when a gust of wind lifted the right wing. The stall warning horn sounded, and he applied full right rudder. The aircraft descended in a left wing-low attitude, struck the ground, and nosed over, coming to rest inverted. The tail separated from the fuselage and the engine separated from its mounts, coming to rest under the tail. An examination of the airplane's systems revealed no anomalies.

The 1353 METAR (routine aviation weather) observation at Evanston-Uinta County Airport, located 50 nm southeast of the accident site, was as follows: Wind, 270 degrees at 14 knots, gusts to 19 knots; visibility,10 statute miles visibility (or greater); sky condition, clear; temperature, 19 degrees C.; dew point, -3 degrees C.; altimeter setting, 30.03 inches of Mercury (Hg.). The pilot said the wind was from 200 degrees at 8 knots, with gusts to 15 knots. He said there were no restrictions to visibility, and there were scattered clouds at 9000 feet agl.