SEA87MA035

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna TU206G · Jean, NV · December 7, 1986

Accident · FatalMajor investigationFinal report
Date
December 6, 1986, 18:25 local (Dec 7, 1986, 02:25 UTC)
Place
Jean, NV
Injuries
6 fatal, 1 serious
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Enroute
Aircraft
N732ZFCessna TU206G
Weather
Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
Status
Completed · report April 25, 1988
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19861206068579A
Case key
40705

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

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Analysis

While en route at night on an IFR flt plan, the acft ran out of fuel. Subsequently, the plt was provided vectors toward a hiway for a forced lndg. However, before reaching the area of the hiway, the acft crashed on rising terrain at an elev of about 4000 ft. except for lack of fuel, no preimpact acft or eng problem was fnd. Aprx 26 mi nne, the 1838 PST las vegas wx was in part: estimated 400 ft broken, 1500 ft overcast, vis 4 mi with fog & lgt rain. The elev of the wx facility was 2174 ft. an inv revealed the acft had been fully serviced with fuel on 12/3/86 & had flown aprx 4 hrs prior to the acdnt flt. No record was fnd of any further refueling. The acft had a fuel capacity of 88 gal, of which, 4 gal was considered as unusable. According to an estimate based on flt manual info, the acft would have consumed NEARLY88 gal of fuel since the last known refueling. On 9/3/86, when the plt took a med exam, he rprtd he had a total flt time of 2930 hrs.

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 engine power(total) - nonmechanicalCruise
Preflight planning/preparation - inadequatePilot in commandCause
In-flight planning/decision - improperPilot in commandCause
Fluid,fuel - exhaustionCause
Fuel supply - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Forced landingDescent - emergency
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - emergency
Light condition - dark nightFactor
Weather condition - low ceilingFactor
Weather condition - fogFactor
Weather condition - rainFactor
Terrain condition - high terrainFactor
Terrain condition - risingFactor

Aircraft

Registration
N732ZF
Reported as
Cessna TU206G
Category
Airplane
Serial number
U20604742
Airframe hours
1,443
Engine
Continental TSIO-520-M, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
John A. Giddings, doing business as Ace Aviation
Registered owner
John Giddings
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · December 11, 1985 · 28 hours before
Departed
MHV · Mojave, CA
Destination
LAS · Las Vegas, NV
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
LAS · Mccarran Intl

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
29
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Flight hours
2,930 total

Weather

Conditions
Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
Wind
90° at 5 knots
Temperature
48 °F, dew point 46 °F
Altimeter
29.00 inHg
Observed at
LAS, 26 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.