LAX06CA194

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna T207A · Jean, NV · June 2, 2006

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
June 2, 2006, 13:34 local (20:34 UTC)
Place
Jean, NV
Injuries
7 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Initial climb
Aircraft
N9962MCessna T207A
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report October 3, 2006
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20060602008489A
Case key
63852

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

On this page

Probable cause

the pilot's failure to obtain and maintain an adequate airspeed, which resulted in a stall/mush. A factor in the accident was the high density altitude.

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.

Loss of control - in flightTakeoff - initial climb
Airspeed - not obtained/maintainedPilot in commandCause
Weather condition - high density altitudeFactor
Stall/mush - encounteredPilot in command
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled
Terrain condition - ground

Analysis

The airplane failed to gain altitude and settled into the ground during the takeoff initial climb. The firewall buckled during the ground contact. The pilot said that just after takeoff, the airspeed decreased to 60 knots and the airplane was 300 feet above ground level. He was unable to recover the airspeed and he touched down in a field. The pilot noted that the temperature was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit and the wind was from the west at 10 knots and gusting. The pilot said that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight. The density altitude was calculated to be about 6,200 feet.

Factual narrative

On June 2, 2006, at 1334 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna T207A, N9962M, settled to the ground in a field following takeoff from Jean Airport, Jean, Nevada. During the ground contact, the firewall buckled and the airplane nosed down. Vegas Extreme Skydiving, Inc., who was also the registered owner of the airplane, was operating it under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The commercial pilot and six passengers were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The pilot was departing from the Jean Airport at the time of the accident for the local area parachute jump flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed.

The pilot stated that just after takeoff, the airspeed decreased to 60 knots and the airplane was 300 feet above ground level. He was unable to recover the airspeed and he force-landed the airplane in a field. During the landing, the firewall buckled. The pilot noted that the temperature was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit and the wind was from the west at 10 knots and gusting. Following the accident, one of the other parachute jump pilots based at the airport noted that two of the windsocks were pointing different directions. The accident pilot noted that a dust devil passed near the accident site. There were no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.

Aircraft

Registration
N9962M
Reported as
Cessna T207A
Category
Airplane
Serial number
20700765
Engine
Teledyne Continental TSIO-520-M, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Skydiving · Part 91
Registered owner
Vegas Extreme Skydiving, Inc.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
07L · Jean, NV
Airport
0L7 · Jean Airport, runway 20R

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

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
27
Certificates
Commercial, Flight instructor
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1
Flight hours
1,092 total · 34 in this make and model · 62 in the last 90 days · 46 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
240° at 11 knots, gusting 16
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
25,000 ft broken
Temperature
102 °F, dew point 18 °F
Altimeter
29.90 inHg
Observed at
KLAS, 21 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.