- Date
- November 19, 1993, 07:48 local (12:48 UTC)
- Place
- Tampa, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8260QCessna U206F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 13, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19931119046199A
- Case key
- 37461
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
Was the improper overhaul and inspection of the engine by company maintenance personnel.
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
After departure on initial climb the engine lost power. The pilot executed a forced landing to water. Examination of the engine revealed the no.3 cylinder connecting rod bolts had failed. The company director of maintenance stated he reused the connecting rod bolts at the last engine overhaul and did not inspect them as required by the manufacturer's engine overhaul manual.
Factual narrative
On November 19, 1993, about 0748 eastern standard time, N8260Q, a Cessna U206F, operated by Red Baron Aviation, as a 14 CFR Part 135 on demand, domestic, cargo flight, crashed in Tampa Bay, after takeoff from Tampa International Airport, Tampa, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an IFR flight plan was filed and activated. The airplane was substantially damaged and the pilot and an observer reported no injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot stated that after departure the airplane did not appear to climb normally and the engine then began to lose power. He then executed a forced landing to Tampa Bay and the airplane flipped and sank. Examination of the engine by FAA personnel revealed that the No. 3 connecting rod had become loose and the connecting rod bolts were found failed. Examination of the failed bolts was accomplished by the NTSB metallurgical laboratory. The bolts were badly smeared and no determination of the failure sequence was possible. The director of maintenance at Red Baron stated that when he accomplished the recent engine overhaul in July 1993, he reused the connecting rod bolts without inspection by magnaflux as required by the manufacturer's overhaul manual.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8260Q
- Reported as
- Cessna U206F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 03121
- Airframe hours
- 4,129
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-F, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Red Baron Aviation Inc.
- Registered owner
- Gallops Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 2, 1993 · 89 hours before
- Destination
- RSW · Fort Myers, FL
- Flight plan
- IFR
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
- 63
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 13,761 total · 122 in this make and model · 12,000 as pilot in command · 60 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TPA
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.