- Date
- November 15, 1992, 16:51 local (Nov 16, 1992, 00:51 UTC)
- Place
- Clearlake, CA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N51198Cessna TU-206F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report September 28, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19921115046569A
- Case key
- 27810
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 exhaust valve failing due to a complete fracture which resulted in the total lose of engine power. Factors in this accident were: 1) the terrain not being suitable for a forced landing, and 2) low ambient light which hampered the pilot's ability to see the terrain.
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.
Analysis
The pilot and his two passengers were in cruise flight on a VFR cross country when the airplane's engine suddenly began to run rough. The pilot, who was being flight followed by an FAA center, declared an emergency and requested vectors to a nearby airport. Within about 2 minutes the pilot reported that the engine completely quit. The pilot entered a power off forced landing and collided with hilly terrain. No suitable terrain was available for the forced landing and the lighting conditions were reported as 'dusk to dark.' The pilot and one of his passengers received fatal injuries. An off site examination and teardown of the engine revealed that the number 5 cylinder exhaust valve stem broke just above the valve head. The valve head fell into the cylinder and the action of the piston caused a hole to be broken through the piston center crown structure. The valve head was found wedged between the crankcase structure and the crankshaft, preventing crankshaft rotation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N51198
- Reported as
- Cessna TU-206F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- U20601977
- Airframe hours
- 5,746
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-520-C, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Falcon Aerial
- Registered owner
- Falcon Aerial
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 16, 1992 · 60 hours before
- Departed
- STS · Santa Rosa, CA
- Destination
- CIC · Chico, CA
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
- 48
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,920 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N51198 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.