Blythe Airport, Blythe, California

Location: The Blythe Airport is 6 miles west of Blythe, California.

History:

Blythe Airport Today:  Obstructions reported; Newly constructed power plant 1 mile east of airport in line with runway;



Airport Services and Amenities:  Wolf Enterprises; Fuel; Avfuel Jet, 100LL;  Food and lodging within 6 miles;

Special Events and Attractions: Colorado River Recreation Park; 

Airport Area Accident History:
Accident occurred Saturday, May 10, 2008 in Blythe, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 6/30/2008
Aircraft: Piper PA-34, registration: N103JH
Injuries: 3 Uninjured.
The pilot made a normal approach to runway 26 and touched down at 95 miles per hour (mph). After decelerating to 70 mph, the airplane began drifting to the left. The pilot corrected the airplane back towards the centerline. The airplane crossed the centerline and continued to the right. He tried to correct the airplane back to the left, and it entered an out-of-control side skid on the runway. At 15 mph, the right main landing gear collapsed, followed by the left main and nose gear. Winds at the time of the accident were from 090 degrees at 4 knots. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures. The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control. ===
Accident occurred Monday, March 24, 2008 in Blythe, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 4/30/2008
Aircraft: Ayres S2R-600, registration: N5674X
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.
According to the pilot, at the end of a day of aerial application flights, he received a call from a customer who wanted a small field sprayed that evening. The airplane was not equipped with lights for night spraying; however, the pilot felt there was still enough light to safely accomplish the 10-minute job. The flight departed from the pilot's private airstrip at dusk and proceeded to the job area, which was flat terrain with no obstructions except canal banks at each end of the field. The first of three intended spray runs was completed without incident. At the end of the second spray run, the pilot did not see the canal bank at the end of the field. The airplane impacted the canal bank, bounced into the air, glided for about 1/4 mile, hit a second canal bank, nosed over and came to rest inverted. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented "by not allowing anyone, including myself, to pressure me into doing something that I knew was a substantially higher than normal risk for very little benefit." The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows: The pilot's failure to maintain terrain clearance. Contributing factors were the dusk light condition and the pressure the pilot felt to accomplish the flight. ===
Accident occurred Tuesday, August 28, 2007 in Blythe, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 11/29/2007
Aircraft: Air Tractor AT-502B, registration: N6003G
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.
During the takeoff roll on the 2,400 foot long asphalt airstrip, the 7,650-hour pilot noticed the airplane was very sluggish about 60% of the way down the runway, and not being able to stop he elected to add full power. The aircraft subsequently became airborne in ground effect; however, it settled and impacted terrain on the other side of a crowned road past the end of the runway. After impacting the ground the airplane veered to the right 180 degrees before coming to rest upright. The pilot said the accident could have been prevented if he had reduced his load and had stopped flying when it became too hot. The density altitude was calculated at 3,672 feet based on an outside air temperature of 41 degrees Celsius, a dew point of 12 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 29.65 inches of Mercury. The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in a stall. A contributing factor was the high density altitude. ===
Accident occurred Friday, March 11, 2005 in Blythe, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 2/28/2006
Aircraft: Mitsubishi MU-2B-26A, registration: N333WF
Injuries: 4 Uninjured.
The pilot failed to lower the landing gear prior to touching down on the runway. The pilot said that during the approach into the airport, the flaps would not lock into the 20-degree extended position. The pilot decided to execute a no-flap landing and referred to the emergency checklist. The checklist advised the pilot to extend the landing gear; however, the pilot skimmed over the information thinking that the gear was already down and locked, and focused on the stabilized approach into the airport. The airplane touched down with the gear in the retracted position. No mechanical malfunctions were noted with the landing gear system on the airplane and a ground test run of the flaps did not reproduce the failure encountered during flight. The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows: the pilot's failure to lower the landing gear prior to landing. A factor to the accident was the pilot's diverted attention due to the flap system anomaly. ===
Accident occurred Friday, July 13, 2001 in Blythe, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 2/5/2002
Aircraft: Hiller UH-12E, registration: N9281P
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.
During a chemical application pass, the pilot of the aerial application helicopter sensed a decrease in engine power and elected to make a precautionary landing. During the landing in a cotton field on irregular, wet ground, the right skid settled into the soil and the helicopter rolled onto its right side. In his subsequent report to the Safety Board, in the section entitled "Mechanical Malfunction Failure," the pilot checked "no." The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows: The selection by the pilot of an unsuitable precautionary landing site on soft, uneven terrain, which resulted in a rollover.

Blythe Airport Approach / Landing: