# Accident 20150815018529A: Cessna T206H, West Caldwell, NJ, August 15, 2015

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 15, 2015, 10:05 local time
- Place: West Caldwell, NJ
- Airport: Essex County
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.8633° N, 74.2831° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8633&lon=-74.2831&mi=10
- Aircraft: N63TV, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N63TV-2016-07-07) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna T206H (registry code 2073303, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-t206h) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TIO-540-AJ1A (registry code 42004, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-tio-540-aj1a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA T206H
- Reported engine: LYCOMING TIO-540-AJ1A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,897 total, 375 in this make and model, 131 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA15FA312](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15FA312) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150815018529A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON 8/15/2015 AT 1000 EDT N63TV, A CESSNA 206H OWNED BY STALACTITE LLC LOCATED IN DEMAREST NJ, WAS INVOLVED IN MAJOR ACCIDENT AFTER TAKEOFF FROM KCDW ON A POSITIONING FLIGHT TO PICK UP A STUDENT PILOT FROM KTEB. VMC WEATHER PREVAILED. A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND MOSTLY CONSUMED BY A POST CRASH FIRE; THE PILOT SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES. THE PILOT HELD A CFI AND COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATES.

THE IIC ARRIVED AT THE CRASH SITE ON 8/15/2015 AT 1145 EST AND BEGAN PHOTOGRAPHING THE SCENE AND INTERVIEWING WITNESSES. THE NTSB ALSO ARRIVED AT THE SCENE ON 8/15/2015 AT 2000 EDT.

ACCORDING TO A WITNESS STATEMENT FROM A CFI IN THE SAME MAKE/TYPE OF AIRCRAFT STATED; ...IT WAS APPARENT THAT THERE WAS ENGINE TROUBLE EVEN BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT ROTATED FOR TAKEOFF AND IT APPEARED TO STRUGGLE IN THE CLIMB TO GET ABOVE THE TREES.

AFTER REVIEWING VIDEO SUPPLIED BY THE KCDW AIRPORT IT APPEARS THAT N63TV PROCEEDED TO TAKE OFF, CLIMB AND THEN MAKE A LEFT TURN SHORTLY THEREAFTER IMPACTED THE GROUND AT A HIGH ANGLE, HIGH SPEED FOLLOWED BY A BLACK CLOUD OF SMOKE.

THE OFFICIAL CAUSE OF THE SINGLE FATALITY IS UNKNOWN AS THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S REPORT IS NOT AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME, ALTHOUGH, IT IS ASSUMED TO BE BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA AND/OR BURNING. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY CRASH IMPACT FORCES AND POST CRASH FIRE. THE TAIL SECTION, LEFT AND RIGHT WINGS, AND ENGINE WHERE IDENTIFIABLE AND WERE REMOVED AND LOADED ON A FLATBED TRUCK FOR RELOCATION TO A NTSB STORAGE HANGAR.

NO PERSONAL FLIGHT RECORDS WERE LOCATED FOR THE PILOT AT THIS TIME. ANY AERONAUTICAL EXPERIENCE AND CERTIFICATE INFORMATION WAS OBTAINED FROM THE FAA DATABASE.

THE AIRCRAFT A CESSNA 206H, SERIAL NUMBER T220608925 WAS MANUFACTURED ON 4/2009 AND HAD ACCUMULATED A TOTAL TIME IN SERVICE OF 1199.2 HOURS. EXAMINATION OF THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS REVEALED THAT THE MOST RECENT ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED ON 4/24/2015, 1155.2 TT.  44 HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.

A LYCOMING TIO-540-AJ1A ENGINE SERIAL NUMBER L-13251-61E WAS INSTALLED IN THE AIRFRAME ON 4/2009 AND HAD ACCRUED A TOTAL TIME IN SERVICE OF 1199.2 HOURS. ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS ACCOMPLISHED ON THE DATES SPECIFIED ABOVE FOR THE AIRFRAME.

IF AND WHEN ADDITINAL INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE THIS REPORT WILL BE AMENDED AS NECESSARY.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA15FA312](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15FA312), Aug 15, 2015: Cessna T206H (N63TV), West Caldwell, NJ, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: A loss of engine power due to a malfunction of the turbocharging system likely due to contaminated oil. Also causal were the pilot's decision to continue the takeoff although the airplane was not…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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