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20031217034379A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Cessna 206H · Sanford, NC · December 17, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
December 17, 2003 · 05:00 local
Place
Sanford, NC
Airport
Sanford-Lee County Regional
Phase of flight
Takeoff
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N9562L
NTSB investigation
NTSBATL04FA056
Reported as
Cessna 206H
Reported engine
Lycoming IO540*
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
Pilot’s flight hours
0 total0 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days
N9562LRegistration cancelled Jul 14, 2006 · Cessna 206HS/N 20608089 · Built 2000Airframe modelCessna 206HEngine modelLycoming IO-540 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) At 0500 on December 17, 2003, a Cessna 206H departed Sanford-lee county airport (tta) on an IFR flight in IMC conditions enroute to manteo, NC (mqi). There were 4 people in addition to the pilot aboard. IMC conditions prevailed at the time of departure and an IFR clearance was issued by rdu ATCT. Approximately five (5) minutes later, the aircraft had crashed with the wreckage coming to rest 337 feet west of runway 03. The pilot was killed on impact and one passenger was critically injured. The remaining passengers received relatively minor cuts, bruises and abrasions. All passenger statements revealed that the aircraft departed the runway 03 shortly after 0500 local time. They stated they felt a dip similar to "a rollercoaster" and immediately began hearing thumps on the fuselage followed by impact. Meticulous flight planning and weight & balance paperwork was found in and around the wreckage. The aircraft was within 100 hour and annual inspection requirements with all ad's and bulletins complied. The vacuum system appeared to be functioning normally. The trim position (rudder and elevator) could not be reliably determined.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AT 0500 ON DECEMBER 17, 2003, A CESSNA 206H DEPARTED SANFORD-LEE COUNTY AIRPORT (TTA) ON AN IFR FLIGHT IN IMC CONDITIONS ENROUTE TO MANTEO, NC (MQI). THERE WERE 4 PEOPLE IN ADDITION TO THE PILOT ABOARD. IMC CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE AND AN IFR CLEARANCE WAS ISSUED BY RDU ATCT. APPROXIMATELY FIVE (5) MINUTES LATER, THE AIRCRAFT HAD CRASHED WITH THE WRECKAGE COMING TO REST 337 FEET WEST OF RUNWAY 03. THE PILOT WAS KILLED ON IMPACT AND ONE PASSENGER WAS CRITICALLY INJURED. THE REMAINING PASSENGERS RECEIVED RELATIVELY MINOR CUTS, BRUISES AND ABRASIONS. ALL PASSENGER STATEMENTS REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY 03 SHORTLY AFTER 0500 LOCAL TIME. THEY STATED THEY FELT A DIP SIMILAR TO "A ROLLERCOASTER" AND IMMEDIATELY BEGAN HEARING THUMPS ON THE FUSELAGE FOLLOWED BY IMPACT. METICULOUS FLIGHT PLANNING AND WEIGHT & BALANCE PAPERWORK WAS FOUND IN AND AROUND THE WRECKAGE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS WITHIN 100 HOUR AND ANNUAL INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS WITH ALL AD'S AND BULLETINS COMPLIED. THE VACUUM SYSTEM APPEARED TO BE FUNCTIONING NORMALLY. THE TRIM POSITION (RUDDER AND ELEVATOR) COULD NOT BE RELIABLY DETERMINED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ATL04FA056Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportSanford, NCThe pilot's loss of control of the airplane during takeoff initial climb due to spatial disorientation, which resulted in an inflight collision with trees and the ground. Factors were the dark night, fog, and low ceilings.Dec 17, 2003 · Substantial damage