DFW06CA168

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna TU206G · Eldorado, TX · June 27, 2006

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
June 27, 2006, 10:59 local (15:59 UTC)
Place
Eldorado, TX
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N5424XCessna TU206G
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report October 3, 2006
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
20060627019049A
Case key
63995

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during an emergency simulation resulting in a hard landing. A contributing factor was the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.

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.

Forced landingApproach - vfr pattern - downwind
Emergency procedure - simulatedPilot in command(cfi)
Hard landingLanding
Airspeed - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Remedial action - delayedPilot in command(cfi)Factor

Analysis

During a training flight, while at 90 knots and 750 feet above the ground, on a left downwind for runway 35, the 6,250-hour flight instructor reduced the airplane's engine power to idle, and asked the 7,237-hour airline transport pilot to perform a simulated forced landing. The pilot proceeded to complete his loss of engine power emergency checklist as he turned the airplane towards the runway. The airplane settled into a descent rate of 600 to 800 feet per minute (FPM). While at approximately 75 to 100 feet above ground level (AGL), while at an indicated airspeed of 78 knots, the pilot "began increasing the [engine] throttle to maximum [power]" to arrest a developing high rate of descent. The engine reportedly did not respond. Subsequently, the airspeed continued to decay and the airplane landed hard approximately 85 feet beyond the landing threshold. The nose landing gear collapsed and the airplane exited the edge of the 60-foot wide runway before coming to rest in the upright position. Both pilots were able to egress the airplane unassisted. An examination of the airplane's engine and flight controls did not reveal any pre-impact anomalies. The wind at the time of the mishap was reported as variable at 6 knots, and the density altitude was estimated at 3,000 feet.

Factual narrative

During a training flight, while at 90 knots and 750 feet above the ground, while on the left downwind for runway 35, the 6,250-hour flight instructor reduced the airplane's engine power to idle, and asked the 7,237-hour airline transport pilot to perform a simulated forced landing. The pilot proceeded to complete his loss of engine power emergency checklist as he turned the airplane towards the runway. The airplane settled into a descent rate of 600 to 800 feet per minute (FPM). While at approximately 75 to 100 feet above ground level (AGL), while at an indicated airspeed of 78 knots, the pilot "began increasing the [engine] throttle to maximum [power]" to arrest a developing high rate of descent. The engine reportedly did not respond. Subsequently, the airspeed continued to decay and the airplane landed hard approximately 85 feet beyond the landing threshold. The nose landing gear collapsed and the airplane exited the edge of the 60-foot wide runway before coming to rest in the upright position. Both pilots were able to egress the airplane unassisted. An examination of the airplane's engine and flight controls did not revealed any pre-impact anomalies. The wind at the time of the mishap was reported as variable at 6 knots, and the density altitude was estimated at 3,000 feet.

Aircraft

Registration
N5424X
Reported as
Cessna TU206G
Category
Airplane
Serial number
U20604524
Airframe hours
4,363
Engine
Continental TSIO-520, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Registered owner
U.S. Customs Service
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · June 1, 2006
Departed
SJT · San Angelo, TX
Destination
27R · Eldorado, TX
Flight plan
Company VFR
Airport
27R · Schleicher County Airport, runway 27R, 4,300 × 60 ft, asphalt

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew · 2

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
52
Injuries
None
Certificates
Airline transport, Commercial
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Helicopter, Airplane
Medical
Class 2, With waivers/limitations
Seat
Left
Flight hours
7,237 total · 8 in this make and model · 5,567 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days
Role
Flight instructor
Age
37
Injuries
None
Certificates
Airline transport, Military, Flight instructor
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Helicopter, Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
January 1, 2006
Seat
Right
Flight hours
6,250 total · 200 in this make and model · 4,000 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Variable at 6 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
81 °F, dew point 41 °F
Altimeter
30.20 inHg

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.