# NTSB CEN24LA150: Cessna U206B, N7896S, Chandeluer Islands, LA, April 5, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: April 5, 2024, 08:30 local (13:30 UTC) - Place: Chandeluer Islands, LA - Coordinates: 29.33088, -89.396912 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.3309&lon=-89.3969&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 4 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, Baton Rouge FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 194050 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN24LA150 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/194050/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194050 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA150 ## Probable cause The pilot’s improper decision to attempt a landing on rough water conditions, which resulted in an impact with the water. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna U206B, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=2073322), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna U206B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2073322), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot of the on-demand passenger flight reported that they departed for a fishing trip to the destination island. Upon arrival, the pilot flew alongside the island to determine where to land and fish. The pilot said that the water conditions on west side of the island were stirred up due to the wind, but it was the only area to land on because of ocean swells on the east side of the island. The north side of the island had water conditions that were the least stirred up and was an area that he had landed on numerous occasions. He elected to land on the north side of the island between two sand bars, which were protected from the wind. Prior to the landing attempt, the pilot overflew the intended landing area three times to ensure that the water was deep enough and calm enough to land on. Upon touchdown, the airplane bounced off a wave and the pilot did not increase engine power to initiate a go-around because he thought that due to the airplane’s weight and height above water, it would only result in settling into the waves with increased engine power. The pilot maintained the airplane attitude to avoid an aerodynamic stall. The airplane then impacted a larger wave, which fractured the left float and the airplane settled nose down on its left side in the water. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer and elevator. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot stated the accident could have been prevented if he had decided to return to the point of origin rather than attempting to land. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7896S](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7896S), registered now, S/N U2060814, built 1967 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA U206B - Registry model: [Cessna U206B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-u206b) (registry code 2073322) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: U2060814 - Year built: 1967 - Airframe hours: 3770.2 - Engines: Continental IO-520-F 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Other work use, Part 135 - Operator: Cajun Air - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 28, 2024 - Departed: Barataria, LA - Destination: Chandeleur Islands, LA - Flight plan: Company VFR - Equipment: ADS-B, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 27; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 1, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 679 total, 384 in this make and model, 538 as pilot in command, 22 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 12 knots - Lowest ceiling: none ## 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 20240405003189A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240405003189A), Apr 5, 2024: Cessna U206B, Bootville Venic, LA, Substantial damage. On April 5th, 2024, the pilot of a Cessna 206 float plane [privacy data omitted]with 3 passengers on board took off from barataria, LA at approximately 0730CST… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 21, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194050. 2.3 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17133821&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20Master_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 132 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17140935&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Template-Rel.pdf 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.