What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On Saturday, March 21, 2026, a Textron Aviation Inc T206H, registered as privacy data omitted, privacy data omitted, was involved in an accident at Salty Approach Airport (FL90) in Fort Myers, FL. The accident resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft. The flight operation was completed under 14 CFR part 91.
At approximately 0900 local time, privacy data omitted began its departure from FL90 on its grass turf surface under visual flight rules (VFR). A soft field takeoff was attempted. During the takeoff roll the aircraft was held in a high pitch attitude and the tail of the aircraft made contact with the surface of the turf runway. The tail was dragged across the runway surface throughout a majority of the takeoff roll . The aircraft momemtarily became airborne before veering off the side of the runway impacting trees and other vegetation.
The pilot noted that the aircraft did not accelerate or perform normally and remained on the runway longer than expected. The pilot also thought that a piece luggage might have shifted aft during acceleration.
The aircraft suffered damage to its wings, control surfaces, propeller blades, and landing gear consistant with tree/vegetation impact.
As the FAA filed it
ON SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 2026, A TEXTRON AVIATION INC T206H, REGISTERED AS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AT SALTY APPROACH AIRPORT (FL90) IN FORT MYERS, FL. THE ACCIDENT RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE FLIGHT OPERATION WAS COMPLETED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91.
AT APPROXIMATELY 0900 LOCAL TIME, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ BEGAN ITS DEPARTURE FROM FL90 ON ITS GRASS TURF SURFACE UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR). A SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF WAS ATTEMPTED. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL THE AIRCRAFT WAS HELD IN A HIGH PITCH ATTITUDE AND THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT MADE CONTACT WITH THE SURFACE OF THE TURF RUNWAY. THE TAIL WAS DRAGGED ACROSS THE RUNWAY SURFACE THROUGHOUT A MAJORITY OF THE TAKEOFF ROLL . THE AIRCRAFT MOMEMTARILY BECAME AIRBORNE BEFORE VEERING OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY IMPACTING TREES AND OTHER VEGETATION.
THE PILOT NOTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT ACCELERATE OR PERFORM NORMALLY AND REMAINED ON THE RUNWAY LONGER THAN EXPECTED. THE PILOT ALSO THOUGHT THAT A PIECE LUGGAGE MIGHT HAVE SHIFTED AFT DURING ACCELERATION.
THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED DAMAGE TO ITS WINGS, CONTROL SURFACES, PROPELLER BLADES, AND LANDING GEAR CONSISTANT WITH TREE/VEGETATION IMPACT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.