- Date
- July 9, 1992, 09:50 local (13:50 UTC)
- Place
- Portland, ME
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- CGTCMCessna U206F
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 7, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 11728
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
Improper in-flight planning/decision by the pilot, resulting in fuel starvation due to improper positioning of the fuel selector. Factors related to the accident were: an undetermined electrical failure, and loss of fuel quantity indication.
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
The pilot was en route when he noted a partial loss of electrical power and that the fuel gage was de-energized. He continued the flight, but during an ILS runway 29 approach at the destination, a total loss of electrical power occurred. The pilot decided to descend below the clouds into VMC, which he encountered at about 400 feet MSL over casco bay. He stated that he was reading a chart to locate the destination airport, when the engine lost power. The pilot ditched the airplane in the bay, escaped from the airplane, and was rescued by coast guard, but the passenger did not escape from the airplane. During an examination of the airplane, about 15 gallons of fuel was drained from the left tank and about one half gallon was drained from the right tank. The fuel selector was found positioned to the right tank. The reason for the loss of electrical power was not verified.
Aircraft
- Registration
- CGTCM
- Reported as
- Cessna U206F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- U206-01825
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-F, 280 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Daniel Gilbert
- Registered owner
- Daniel Gilbert
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- SW3 · St Georges,Cd, OF
- Destination
- PWM · Portland, ME
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- PWM · Portland International, runway 29
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 26
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 430 total · 35 in this make and model · 210 as pilot in command · 45 in the last 90 days · 35 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 1 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 400 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PWM, 2 nm away