- Date
- June 9, 1992, 08:20 local (12:20 UTC)
- Place
- Live Oak, FL
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8117QCessna U206-F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Not reported
- Status
- Completed · report August 31, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 33000
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
Improper maintenance of the fuel system by the pilot/mechanic resulting in an engine failure on takeoff over terrain unsuitable for a forced landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper in-flight decision to turn back to the runway, and subsequent inadvertent stall.
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 public-use flight of the U206F by the pilot and passenger was for the purpose of aerial search for a murder suspect. The airplane was observed to take off and at about 200 feet altitude the engine was heard to quit, surge, and quit again. The airplane was observed to turn steeply back to the airport and strike treetops prior to coming to rest on the ground. Examination of fuel from the nacelle tank revealed excessive amounts of sand and silica particles. The engine was subsequently removed, placed in a test cell, started, and performed adequately.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8117Q
- Reported as
- Cessna U206-F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- U20603892
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-F, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public aircraft · Part 91
- Operator
- Suwannee County Sheriff
- Registered owner
- Suwannee County Sheriff
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 4, 1991
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
- 36
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,400 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Not reported
- Wind
- 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GNV, 30 nm away