# NTSB CEN22FA168: Cessna TU206F, N858JA, Marlin, TX, April 5, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report - Date: April 5, 2022, 12:31 local (17:31 UTC) - Place: Marlin, TX - Coordinates: 31.339384, -96.85044 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.3394&lon=-96.8504&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 2 fatal - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: New Era Technology, Textron Aviation, Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 104891 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN22FA168 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104891/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104891 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22FA168 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during landing for reasons that could not be determined based on available information. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna TU206F, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2073353), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna TU206F, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2073353), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna TU206F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=2073353), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Cessna TU206F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=2073353), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) - [Landing-aborted after touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230); cases with it: [Cessna TU206F, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2073353), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Cessna TU206F, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2073353), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna TU206F, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2073353), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot and pilot-rated observer departed on a pipeline inspection flight. Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast, and GPS data indicated the airplane first appeared immediately south of the departure airport. The airplane tracked north-northwest and climbed to 4,000 ft mean sea level. About 1 1/2 hours into the flight, the airplane turned southwest and began a series of maneuvering turns over the area where the pipeline was located. The airplane continued to maneuver southwest and worked its way to a location 20 miles south of its destination airport. It then turned to the east toward a nearby airport. The pilot contacted approach control and informed them that he was landing at that airport. The airplane overflew the south end of the airport and entered a left downwind traffic pattern for runway 17. The airplane continued to a left base leg and then final. An armory security camera located on the airport recorded the airplane on final approach. The airplane touched down just past the approach end of the runway and bounced back into the air. It touched down a second time in the grass just right of the runway, struck a runway light, veered back on the runway, crossed the runway, and departed the left side of the runway. The airplane then disappeared behind a building. GPS data showed that the airplane became airborne again. The airplane climbed to about 75 ft above ground level, crossed a road that ran parallel to the runway east of the airport, and then entered a rapid decent until track data was lost. The airplane impacted trees and terrain in a near vertical attitude and came to rest on its main landing gear and forward fuselage on a westerly heading, 340 ft due east of the runway. The airplane’s propeller was found in a 1-foot-deep impact crater 33 ft west of the airplane main wreckage and showed signs of power. Examination of the airframe, flight controls, and engine revealed no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. The reason for the pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during the final approach and landing was not determined with the available information. ## Factual narrative On April 5, 2022, about 1231 central daylight time, a Cessna TU206F airplane, N858JA, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Marlin, Texas. The pilot and pilot-rated observer were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 aerial observation flight. The airplane departed the Houston Executive Airport (TME), Houston, Texas, on a pipeline inspection flight with a destination of Waco, Texas. Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast, and GPS data indicated the airplane first appeared at 1038, south of TME. The airplane tracked north northwest toward Waco, Texas, and climbed to 4,000 ft mean sea level. About 1 1/2 hours into the flight, the airplane turned southwest and began a series of maneuvering turns over the area where the pipeline was located. The airplane continued to maneuver southwest and worked its way to a location 20 miles south of Waco. It then turned to the east toward the Marlin Airport (T15), Marlin, Texas. The pilot contacted Waco Approach Control and informed them that he was landing at T15. The airplane overflew the south edge of airport and entered a left downwind traffic pattern for runway 17. The airplane continued to a left base leg and then final. An armory security camera located on the airport recorded the airplane on final approach. The airplane touched down just past the approach end of the runway and bounced back into the air. It touched down a second time in the grass just right of the runway, struck a runway light, veered back on the runway, crossed the runway, and departed the left side of the runway. The airplane then disappeared behind a building. GPS data showed the airplane touchdown on the runway. The airplane became airborne again and touched down off the right side of the runway. The airplane then turned northeast, crossed the runway, and became airborne again. The airplane climbed to about 75 ft above ground level, crossed a road that ran parallel to the runway east of the airport, and then entered a rapid descent until track data was lost at 1231:06. The airplane was about 1,800 ft southeast of the approach end of runway 17 at when track data was lost. Figure 1. GPS Track, Final Approach and Runway Excursion looking toward the South. Figure 2. GPS Track, Final Approach and Runway Excursion looking toward the East-Southeast The pilot’s wife reported that the pilot meticulously kept a master logbook that he would update weekly. However, the logbook was not located. She stated that he had recently met a personal milestone, 1,500 total hours, a few weeks before the accident. She also stated that it would have been out of character for her husband, being responsible for the flight, to give the flight controls over to the other pilot. The pilot kept a notebook of his flight hours by tachometer and Hobbs meter readings which was found at the accident site. On review, between September 21, 2021, and the day of the accident, the pilot hadlogged 742.1 hours. The pilot was hired by the company in August 2020 as a subcontractor pilot. In February 2022, the company hired him as an employee pilot. Per the company’s training records, on March 31, 2022, he had 203.6 hours as pilot-in-command on visual flights. The accident site was in a treed pasture located on the east side of a gravel road that ran along the east side of T15, and 1 mile northeast of Marlin, Texas. The elevation of the accident site was 410 ft and the terrain was predominately flat. The airplane impacted in a near vertical attitude and rested upright on its main landing gear and nose on a heading of 281o. The airplane main wreckage was located about 340 ft east of the runway and consisted of the fuselage, both wings, main landing gear, engine, and empennage. The propeller and nose landing gear were located west of the airplane. A debris field that contained broken pieces of the windscreen, cowling, glareshield, and instrument panel was located between the airplane and the propeller. An additional area of debris that consisted of the left-wing tip was located beneath a tree about 90 ft west-northwest of the airplane. A broken tree branch was located among the debris. The airplane’s propeller was located 33 ft west of the airplane main wreckage and was embedded about 1 ft into the ground. The propeller was broken torsionally at the flange. All three blades showed S-bending and chordwise scratches. A 4 ft by 4 ft impact crater was located beneath the propeller. Pieces of the windscreen were found in the crater. Two 6 in wide and 15 ft long impressions in the ground extended east and west from the impact crater. At the end of the east impression were pieces of the right-wing tip and position light. A second tree located 15 ft south of the impact crater showed several broken branches, which were found on the ground between the propeller and the tree. On-scene examination of the airframe, flight controls, and engine revealed no preaccident malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N858JA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N858JA), registered now, S/N U20603437, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA TU206F - Registry model: [Cessna TU206F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-tu206f) (registry code 2073353) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520-C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-c) (registry code 17251, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: U20603437 - Airframe hours: 7781 - Engines: Continental TSIO-520C reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial observation, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: None - Last inspection: Annual, January 31, 2022 - Departed: TME, Houston, TX - Destination: Waco, TX - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: T15, Marlin Municipal Airport, runway 17, 3,021 × 50 ft, asphalt - Equipment: ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; injuries: fatal; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review February 24, 2021; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; toxicology performed; flight hours: 1,500 total, 529 in this make and model - Pilot-rated passenger; age 27; injuries: fatal; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review December 13, 2021; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; toxicology performed; flight hours: 320 total, 145.7 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 15 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 29.62 inHg - Observed at: KACT, 25 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20220405004969A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220405004969A), Apr 5, 2022: Cessna TU206F, Marlin, TX, Substantial damage, 2 fatal. On April 5, 2022, about 1231 central daylight time, a Cessna TU206 airplane, N858JA, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Marlin,… ## Docket (22 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 27, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104891. 65.1 MB in all. - FAA chronological summary of flight (item 1, PDF, 4 pages, 63 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14136062&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Chronological%20Summary%20of%20Flight-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation, operator (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 97 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13776389&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation,%20Operator-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation, pilot-rated passenger's instructor (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 98 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14116553&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation,%20%20Pilot-Rated%20Passenger%27s%20Instructor-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation, pilot's spouse (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 40 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14142319&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation,%20%20Pilot%27s%20Wife-Rel.pdf - Video of the airplane bounce and runway excursion (item 5, MP4, 33.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13776535&FileExtension=mp4&FileName=N858JA%20Video%20Playback-Rel.mp4 - Accident scene diagrams (item 6, PDF, 2 pages, 236 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13776525&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Scene%20Diagrams-Rel.pdf - Summary of airplane examination (item 7, PDF, 11 pages, 2.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13776621&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Summary%20of%20Aircraft%20Examination%20N858JA_Redacted-Rel.pdf - N858JA annual inspection (item 8, PDF, 1 page, 2.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14138688&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N858JA%20Annual%20Inspection_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Statement of party representatives to NTSB investigation, Textron aviation (item 9, PDF, 1 page, 147 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13775909&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Textron%20Party%20Form_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Statement of party representatives to NTSB investigation, new era technology (item 10, PDF, 1 page, 158 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13776301&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=New%20Era%20Party%20Form_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memo for record, medical and pathological information, pilot (item 11, PDF, 1 page, 37 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13991919&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memo%20for%20Record,%20Medical%20and%20Pathological%20Information,%20Pilot-Rel.pdf - Memo for record, medical and pathological information, pilot-rated crewmember (item 12, PDF, 1 page, 37 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13991929&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memo%20for%20Record,%20Medical%20and%20Pathological%20Information,%20Pilot-rated%20Passenger-Rel.pdf - Toxicological report, pilot (item 13, PDF, 1 page, 112 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14135352&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Tox%20Report,%20Pilot_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Toxicological report, pilot-rated crewmember (item 14, PDF, 1 page, 115 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14135015&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Tox%20Report,%20Pilot-Rated%20Crewmember_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo array (item 15, PDF, 18 pages, 9.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14116264&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array,%20N858JA%20Accident-Rel.pdf - GPS device - specialista��s factual report (item 16, PDF, 12 pages, 8 photos, 2.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14171648&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Global%20Positioning%20System%20Device%20Factual%20Report-Rel.pdf - GPS device - attachment 1 (tabular data for event flight) (item 17, CSV, 347 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14172516&FileExtension=csv&FileName=attachment1-Rel.csv - Training records (item 18, PDF, 1 page, 23 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14184648&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Training%20Records-Rel.pdf - Crew employment information (item 19, PDF, 4 pages, 992 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14243946&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Crew%20Employment%20Records_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Personal electronic device - specialist's factual report-CEN22FA168 (item 20, PDF, 4 pages, 222 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14358734&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Personal%20Electronic%20Device%20-%20Specialist%27s%20Factual%20Report-CEN22FA168-Rel.pdf - Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 21, PDF, 1 page, 658 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13849418&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Signed%20Wreckage%20Release_Redacted-Rel.pdf - ADS-B data (item 22, XLSX, 10.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14422469&FileExtension=xlsx&FileName=20220405_ABC5D9_480428832_ADSB-Rel.xlsx From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.