What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 11, 2026, at or about 17:27Z, a Cessna T206 experienced partial power failure during descent to pine bluff regional airport (kpbf) while approximately 10NM sw of Saline County Regional Airport (ksuz). Just prior to experiencing partial power loss, the pilot noted the aircraft’s fuel totalizer indicated just under 10 gallons of fuel in the left tank and over 20 gallons of fuel in the right tank. The fuel selector valve was moved from the “both” position to the “right” position and the descent was continued. Several seconds later, engine RPM and manifold pressure (mp) began to drop. The pilot moved the fuel selector valve back to “both”, turned on the auxiliary fuel pump, and enrichened the mixture. Engine RPM and mp continue to drop, and the fuel flow indication was lower than normal. A magneto check was performed with normal indications. The pilot declared an emergency with little rock (lit) ATC. Lit ATC advised them that ksuz was approximately 10 to 11 o’clock of their position. The airport was not visible to the pilot due to the clouds. The engine indications started to return to normal and the pilot elected to proceed to kbpf approximately 40 miles se. Less than a minute later the engine lost power again. The pilot then told ATC they were going to proceed to ksuz. The pilot determined that they were not going to make the airport and secured the aircraft for an off-field landing. The aircraft came to rest approximately one mile sw of ksuz. The off-field landing started in a level field, but the aircraft could not stop before rolling down a ravine and coming to rest in a tree line along a creek bed causing major damage to the aircraft. Area weather was VFR, with sky conditions FEW034-BKN045. The pilot was the only person onboard and sustained no injuries.
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 11, 2026, AT OR ABOUT 17:27Z, A CESSNA T206 EXPERIENCED PARTIAL POWER FAILURE DURING DESCENT TO PINE BLUFF REGIONAL AIRPORT (KPBF) WHILE APPROXIMATELY 10NM SW OF SALINE COUNTY REGIONAL AIRPORT (KSUZ). JUST PRIOR TO EXPERIENCING PARTIAL POWER LOSS, THE PILOT NOTED THE AIRCRAFT’S FUEL TOTALIZER INDICATED JUST UNDER 10 GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK AND OVER 20 GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK. THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS MOVED FROM THE “BOTH” POSITION TO THE “RIGHT” POSITION AND THE DESCENT WAS CONTINUED. SEVERAL SECONDS LATER, ENGINE RPM AND MANIFOLD PRESSURE (MP) BEGAN TO DROP. THE PILOT MOVED THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE BACK TO “BOTH”, TURNED ON THE AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP, AND ENRICHENED THE MIXTURE. ENGINE RPM AND MP CONTINUE TO DROP, AND THE FUEL FLOW INDICATION WAS LOWER THAN NORMAL. A MAGNETO CHECK WAS PERFORMED WITH NORMAL INDICATIONS. THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY WITH LITTLE ROCK (LIT) ATC. LIT ATC ADVISED THEM THAT KSUZ WAS APPROXIMATELY 10 TO 11 O’CLOCK OF THEIR POSITION. THE AIRPORT WAS NOT VISIBLE TO THE PILOT DUE TO THE CLOUDS. THE ENGINE INDICATIONS STARTED TO RETURN TO NORMAL AND THE PILOT ELECTED TO PROCEED TO KBPF APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES SE. LESS THAN A MINUTE LATER THE ENGINE LOST POWER AGAIN. THE PILOT THEN TOLD ATC THEY WERE GOING TO PROCEED TO KSUZ. THE PILOT DETERMINED THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO MAKE THE AIRPORT AND SECURED THE AIRCRAFT FOR AN OFF-FIELD LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE SW OF KSUZ. THE OFF-FIELD LANDING STARTED IN A LEVEL FIELD, BUT THE AIRCRAFT COULD NOT STOP BEFORE ROLLING DOWN A RAVINE AND COMING TO REST IN A TREE LINE ALONG A CREEK BED CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. AREA WEATHER WAS VFR, WITH SKY CONDITIONS FEW034-BKN045. THE PILOT WAS THE ONLY PERSON ONBOARD AND SUSTAINED NO INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.