# NTSB ERA26LA066: Cessna TU206, N917WC, Pell City, AL, December 11, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report
- Date: December 11, 2025, 19:40 UTC
- Place: Pell City, AL
- Coordinates: 33.569128, -86.396221 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.5691&lon=-86.3962&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Engine shutdown](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/140)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 202145
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26LA066
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202145/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA066

## Preliminary report

On December 11, 2025, about 1340 central standard time, a Cessna TU206F, N917WC, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Pell City, Alabama. The commercial pilot was not injured. The single passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 aerial observation flight. The pilot reported that he departed on the aerial observation flight with 107 gallons of fuel onboard for a planned 4-hour flight. About 3 hours and 45 minutes into the flight, the pilot observed fluctuations of the fuel quantity and fuel pressure gauges followed, by a sudden total loss of engine power. After informing air traffic control of the emergency, the pilot made an emergency landing in a field, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. A postaccident examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the nose landing gear had collapsed and the empennage had partially separated during the forced landing. The wreckage was recovered and retained for further examination.

## Sequence of events

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

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Engine shutdown](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/140) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna TU206F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/140/sequence.md?model=2073353), [All aircraft, 80 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/140/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N917WC](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N917WC), registered now, S/N U20602032, built 1973 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA TU206 (F)
- Registry model: [Cessna TU206F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-tu206f) (registry code 2073353) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: U20602032
- Year built: 1973
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Aerial observation, Part 91
- Operator: Barr Air Patrol LLC
- Registered owner: Barr Air Patrol LLC
- Departed: BHM, Birmingham, AL

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observed at: BHM, 17 nm away
- METAR: METAR KBHM 111853Z VRB03KT 10SM BKN250 12/M07 A3009 RMK AO2 SLP188 T01171067

## 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 20251211020369A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251211020369A), Dec 11, 2025: Cessna TU206F, Pell City, AL, Substantial damage. Aircraft was inbound for landing 25 miles east of birmingham (kbhm). Pilot advised ATC aircraft was having a fuel pump issue and landed in a field.

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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