# NTSB ERA23LA292: Cessna 208B, N716MM, Suffolk, VA, July 3, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: July 3, 2023, 13:50 local (17:50 UTC)
- Place: Suffolk, VA
- Coordinates: 36.685278, -76.598889 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.6853&lon=-76.5989&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 192554
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA23LA292
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/192554/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192554
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA292

## Probable cause

The pilot’s inadequate landing flare, which resulted in a nose landing gear collapse.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 208B, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2073701), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 208B, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2073701), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 208B, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=2073701), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot was returning from her fifth skydive run of the day. During the landing, “the flare seemed insufficient” and the nose landing gear collapsed during touchdown. The airplane continued off the side of the runway and came to rest in the grass. During the accident sequence, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mounts. The operator reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N716MM](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N716MM), registered now, S/N 208B0746 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 208B
- Registry model: [Cessna 208B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-208b) (registry code 2073701) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-6 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-6-series) (registry code 52150, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 208B0746
- Year built: 1999
- Airframe hours: 9519
- Engines: Honeywell TPE331-12JR 900 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Skydiving, Part 91
- Operator: Arne Aviation LLC
- Registered owner: Arne Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, June 22, 2023
- Airport: SFQ, Suffolk Exec, runway 25, 3,750 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: ADS-B, Stall warning system

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 37; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 8, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 1,693 total, 37 in this make and model, 859 as pilot in command, 102 in the last 90 days, 52 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 250° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 95 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observed at: SFQ
- METAR: 031755Z AUTO 25006KT 10SM SCT046 SCT055 35/22 A2993 RMK AO2 T03470223 10349
20272

## 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 20230703014369A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230703014369A), Jul 3, 2023: Cessna 208B, Suffolk, VA, Substantial damage. PIC made a normal approach to landing after performing sky dive jump operations at Suffolk Executive Airport (ksfq). Prior to touchdown, PIC failed to…

## Other investigations on N716MM (1)

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.

- [NTSB ERA25LA254](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA254), Jul 2, 2025: Cessna 208 (N716MM), Monroe, NJ, substantial damage, investigation ongoing

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 31, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192554. 3.1 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=15837214&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=LA292%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Pilot statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 75 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15837491&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20Statement-Rel.pdf
- Investigative photographs (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 2 photos, 887 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15837827&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20LA292-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.

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