What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 27, 2025, about 1312 central daylight time, a Cessna T206, privacy data omitted, was substantially damaged; and was involved in an accident near Natchez, Mississippi. Pilot and co-pilot were not injured. Aircraft is operated under title 14 part 91AERIAL observation flight.
Pilot reported approximatly 4 hours and 45 minutes into survey flight engine suddenly lost power. Pilot pitched for best glide, ran the emergency checklists, and was unable to regain engine power. Pilot declared an emergency and diverted to runway 14 at hardy-anders field / Natchez-Adams County Airport (khez), Natchez, Mississippi. Aircraft was unable to make the runway the pilot aimed to the left (east/west approach) side of the runway to avoid hitting the approach lighting system; aircraft struck a berm, went airborne, and on the second bounce the nose landing gear separated from the aircraft which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. Pilot and co-pilot exited the aircraft without incident.
Aircraft was moved to a hangar on the field and was retained for further examination.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 27, 2025, ABOUT 1312 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA T206, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED; AND WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT NEAR NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI. PILOT AND CO-PILOT WERE NOT INJURED. AIRCRAFT IS OPERATED UNDER TITLE 14 PART 91AERIAL OBSERVATION FLIGHT.
PILOT REPORTED APPROXIMATLY 4 HOURS AND 45 MINUTES INTO SURVEY FLIGHT ENGINE SUDDENLY LOST POWER. PILOT PITCHED FOR BEST GLIDE, RAN THE EMERGENCY CHECKLISTS, AND WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN ENGINE POWER. PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND DIVERTED TO RUNWAY 14 AT HARDY-ANDERS FIELD / NATCHEZ-ADAMS COUNTY AIRPORT (KHEZ), NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI. AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO MAKE THE RUNWAY THE PILOT AIMED TO THE LEFT (EAST/WEST APPROACH) SIDE OF THE RUNWAY TO AVOID HITTING THE APPROACH LIGHTING SYSTEM; AIRCRAFT STRUCK A BERM, WENT AIRBORNE, AND ON THE SECOND BOUNCE THE NOSE LANDING GEAR SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT WHICH RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE. PILOT AND CO-PILOT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INCIDENT.
AIRCRAFT WAS MOVED TO A HANGAR ON THE FIELD AND WAS RETAINED FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.