- Date
- June 26, 1990, 20:30 local (Jun 27, 1990, 04:30 UTC)
- Place
- Fairbanks, AK
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N7560GCessna 206
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 9, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Case key
- 5297
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The failure of the wristpin caused the separation of the connecting rod from the piston and subsequent seizure of the engine. A factor was unavailability of a suitable forced landing area.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
While in cruise flight, the pilot-in-command experienced a complete mechanical stoppage of the powerplant. He was forced to land in a burned section of woodland that had dead trees scattered throughout and onto rough and uneven tundra. Subsequent examination of the engine revealed that the number 5 cylinder's piston wristpin had failed and allowed the connecting rod to separate from the piston. The connecting rod damaged the internal portions of the engine case in its plane of rotation and by jamming into the case caused the engine to stop rotating.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7560G
- Reported as
- Cessna 206
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- U20604315
- Airframe hours
- 2,926
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-F, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Bill A. Jones
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · May 1, 1990 · 76 hours before
- Airport
- NONE
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 65
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Invalid Medical for flight
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,000 total · 300 in this make and model · 2,000 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F