Cessna 206H accident near Sanford, North Carolina, December 17, 2003
On December 17, 2003 at about 10:02 am local time, a Cessna 206H, registered N9562L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sanford, North Carolina (Sanford Lee County Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed, 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of control of the airplane during takeoff initial climb due to spatial disorientation, which resulted in an inflight collision with trees and the ground. Factors were the dark night, fog, and low ceilings.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 17, 2003 · about 10:02 am local time
- Place
- Sanford, North Carolina · Sanford Lee County Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed, 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 206H · all 206Hs on the register
- Registration
- N9562L · no longer on the register · serial 20608089
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The passengers described the weather as "pitch black" with fog and mist. The flight was departing runway 3, and, according to one passenger, the airplane lifted off the runway, climbed to approximately 20 to 30 feet, and began a banking turn to the left. The passenger then heard bangs or thumping noises. Another passenger estimated the airplane was airborne for about 30 seconds to a minute, and she thought maybe the airplane had turned left and was laying on the ground. Examination of the accident site revealed the main wreckage was located a wooded area approximately 1,200 feet from the left side of runway 3 and approximately 4,500 feet from the runway 3 threshold. Wreckage debris and a swath of freshly broken trees extended 240 feet. Post-accident examination of components revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction was observed. The spouse of the pilot estimated the pilot went to sleep around 2330 the night before the flight. She did not know what time he awoke in the morning. According to air traffic control records, the pilot telephoned the Raleigh Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) at 0313 the morning of the flight. The passengers stated that the pilot had the airplane ready to go when they each arrived at the airport around 0445.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 816 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 759 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 1, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 683.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2003; 96.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-AC1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KTTA Sanford NC at 10:00 am
- Destination: KMQI Manteo NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 3, 4,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 190° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
- Observation at 10:00 am from KTTA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.