# NTSB ERA15LA090: Cessna P206, N2534X, Key West, FL, January 3, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 3, 2015, 10:15 local (15:15 UTC) - Place: Key West, FL - Coordinates: 24.55611, -81.771942 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=24.5561&lon=-81.7719&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 4 minor, 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 19, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO 19, Continental Motors Inc. - NTSB case key (mKey): 90569 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA15LA090 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/90569/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90569 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15LA090 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident examinations and testing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna P206, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=2073304), [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. - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna P206, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=2073304), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna P206, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2073304), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that the airplane was about 300 ft above the ground and on final approach when the engine "quit suddenly with no surging or other warning signs." He selected the auxiliary fuel pump to the high position and switched fuel tanks. The pilot stated that the engine "came back to life momentarily and then quit again." The airplane was unable to reach the runway, and the pilot made a forced landing in a lagoon about 1/4 mile short of the runway, during which the right wing sustained structural damage. Examination of the fuel system revealed that the right fuel tank was full and that the left fuel tank had 15 gallons of fuel remaining. Evidence of fuel was also noted in the lines from the fuel tanks to the fuel manifold valve. Internal engine continuity was confirmed, and compression and suction were observed on all of the cylinders. The spark plug electrodes were normal in appearance. The engine-driven fuel pump and magnetos were tested, and no evidence of a preexisting malfunction was found. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On January 3, 2015, about 1015 eastern standard time (EST), a Cessna P206, N2534X, was force landed in a lagoon following a total loss of engine power during an approach to Key West International Airport (EYW), Key West, Florida. The airline transport pilot and three passengers received minor injuries and two passengers were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was operated by Exec Air Inc. under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Day, visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at Naples, Florida (APF) about 0920. The pilot reported the following. About 300 feet above the ground, on final approach to runway 9, the engine "quit suddenly with no surging or other warning signs." He selected the auxiliary fuel pump to the high position and switched fuel tanks. The engine "came back to life momentarily and then quit again." Unable to make the runway, the airplane landed short in a lagoon, about one quarter mile from the runway. The airplane came to rest in about 3 feet of salt water. The pilot reported that he departed APF with about 78 gallons of fuel on board. An inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration responded to the accident site and examined the wreckage. The right wing exhibited structural damage from impact forces. The fuel selector was in the "off" position; however, he reported that the selector handle was moved to off from the "right tank" position by recovery personnel. The wing tanks were also de-fueled prior to his arrival. About 15 gallons of fuel were recovered from the left tank and about 40 gallons of fuel were recovered from the right tank. The nose gear was crushed upward, into the underside of the engine. There was no fuel or oil observed on the exterior surfaces of the airplane. A fueling record was recovered that indicated 42.2 gallons of fuel was purchased at APF prior to the flight. Fuel was observed in the lines between the electric boost pump and the engine-driven fuel pump, in the line from the engine-driven pump to the fuel metering valve, and there was fuel in the line entering the fuel manifold valve and inside the valve. The engine-driven fuel pump appeared normal and the drive shaft was intact. The top six spark plugs were removed and were normal in appearance. The engine was turned by hand; internal continuity was established and compression and suction was confirmed an all six cylinders. The magnetos were tuned by hand; the impulse couplings appeared to operate normally. No spark was observed on the ignition leads when the magnetos were turned. The magnetos and ignition harnesses were retained by the FAA inspector for additional examination and testing. On April 9, 2015, the magnetos, ignition harnesses, and engine driven fuel pump were examined at the Continental Motors facility at Mobile, Alabama under the direction of the NTSB. The fuel pump (part # 638154-1; serial # 1752) did not exhibit externaldamage. The spline on the fuel pump was intact and the unit rotated when actuated by hand. The fuel pump was installed on a test stand and ran at rpms between 700 and 3,200 for several minutes. The unit functioned as designed and the recorded pressure was high. The left magneto (Slick model # 6210; serial # 90080047) did not exhibit external damage. The left magneto was installed on a test bench and ran at different rpms for several minutes. A blue spark was observed on each lead at varying rpms. The right magneto (Slick model # 6210; serial #91040206) did not exhibit external damage. The right magneto was installed on a test bench and ran at different rpms for several minutes. A blue spark was observed on each lead at varying rpms. Two passengers reported to an FAA inspector that the airplane was "chartered" by a third passenger for the round trip flight to EYW. A credit card receipt for $1,180.80 was provided to investigators, on the third passenger's credit card and charged by the operator, Exec Air. Exec Air holds an FAA Airline Certificate for On Demand Airplane operations. The certificate only has 1 approved aircraft, a Cessna 182. The Cessna 206 used in the accident flight is not approved on the certificate. The owner of Exec Air reported after the accident that the charge to the passenger's credit card was for anticipated expenses incurred during the personal flight. The FAA is pursuing certificate action against the operator and pilot for conducting an unauthorized charter flight. At the time of this writing, that action was still pending. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2534X](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2534X-2015-05-27), registration cancelled 2015-05-27, S/N P206-0034, built 1964 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA P206 - Registry model: [Cessna P206](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-p206) (registry code 2073304) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: P206-0034 - Year built: 1964 - Airframe hours: 4427 - Engines: CONT MOTOR IO 520 SERIES 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Exec Air Inc., doing business as Execair - Registered owner: Two Aero Seven Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 15, 2014, 28 hours before - Departed: APF, Naples, FL - Destination: EYW, Key West, FL - Airport: EYW, Key West Intl, runway 09, 4,801 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 47; injuries: minor; flight instructor, commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review April 30, 2014; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 8,540 total, 24 in this make and model, 8,281 as pilot in command, 171 in the last 90 days, 32 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 120° at 14 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 30.21 inHg - Observed at: EYW, 1 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 20150103000109A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150103000109A), Jan 3, 2015: Cessna P206, Key West, FL, Substantial damage. On 3 jan 1015, N2534X, CE-206, departed naples, Florida, a part 91 VFR flight, to Key West, Florida. On approach to airport, the aircraft engine shutdown and… ## Docket (21 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 23, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90569. 17.6 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431973&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - FAA Inspector Statement (item 2, .PDF, 354 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431974&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - FAA Record of Conversation – Hall (item 3, .PDF, 19 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431975&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Record%20of%20Conversation%20%E2%80%93%20Hall-Redacted.PDF - FAA Record of Conversation – Parisi (item 4, .PDF, 19 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431976&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Record%20of%20Conversation%20%E2%80%93%20Parisi-Redacted.PDF - Report from EYW Airport Operations (item 5, .PDF, 106 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431977&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Report%20from%20EYW%20Airport%20Operations-Redacted.PDF - Excerpts – ARFF Incident Report (item 6, .PDF, 465 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431978&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Excerpts%20%E2%80%93%20ARFF%20Incident%20Report-Master.PDF - Memorandum of Record EYW Weather (item 7, .PDF, 119 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431979&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Record%20EYW%20Weather-Master.PDF - APF Fuel Sales Records (item 8, .PDF, 610 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431980&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=APF%20Fuel%20Sales%20Records-Redacted.PDF - Defueling Statement (item 9, .PDF, 66 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431981&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Defueling%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Certification of Party Representative (item 10, .PDF, 321 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431982&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Certification%20of%20Party%20Representative-Redacted.PDF - NTSB Examination Summary Notes (item 11, .PDF, 102 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431983&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=NTSB%20Examination%20Summary%20Notes-Master.PDF - Fuel Pump Test Results (item 12, .PDF, 285 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431984&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Fuel%20Pump%20Test%20Results-Master.PDF - Evidence Control (item 13, .PDF, 352 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431985&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Evidence%20Control-Redacted.PDF - Exec Air Credit Card Receipts (item 14, .PDF, 147 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431992&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Exec%20Air%20Credit%20Card%20Receipts-Master.PDF - Written Statements – Swasey and Vandersluis (item 15, .PDF, 357 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431993&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Written%20Statements%20%E2%80%93%20Swasey%20and%20Vandersluis-Redacted.PDF - Photo 1 –Main Wreckage Prior to Recovery (Photo Courtesy of FAA) (item 16, .PDF, 116 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431986&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20%E2%80%93Main%20Wreckage%20Prior%20to%20Recovery%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Photo 2 – Main Wreckage Aft View (Photo Courtesy of FAA) (item 17, .PDF, 2.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431987&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20%E2%80%93%20Main%20Wreckage%20Aft%20View%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Photo 3 – Main Wreckage Front View (Photo Courtesy of FAA) (item 18, .PDF, 2.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431988&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203%20%E2%80%93%20Main%20Wreckage%20Front%20View%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Photo 4 – Cockpit (Photo Courtesy of FAA) (item 19, .PDF, 2.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431989&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%204%20%E2%80%93%20Cockpit%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Photo 5 – Right Horizontal Stabilizer Damage (Photo Courtesy of FAA) (item 20, .PDF, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431990&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%205%20%E2%80%93%20Right%20Horizontal%20Stabilizer%20Damage%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Photo 6 – Lower Fuselage Damage (Photo Courtesy of FAA) (item 21, .PDF, 3.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431991&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%206%20%E2%80%93%20Lower%20Fuselage%20Damage%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.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.