Cessna T206H accident near Huntsville, Alabama, January 12, 2005
On January 12, 2005, a Cessna T206H, registered N2467X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Huntsville, Alabama (Huntsville International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to attempt flight into known adverse weather, which resulted in an in-flight encounter with a thunderstorm.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 12, 2005
- Place
- Huntsville, Alabama · Huntsville International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T206H · all T206Hs on the register
- Registration
- N2467X · no longer on the register · serial T20608155
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot contacted the HSV clearance delivery controller at 1807:53 to obtain the flight's IFR clearance, and, at 1814:04, the pilot contacted the HSV ground controller and advised he was ready to taxi. The controller stated at 1814:31, "... there's level five weather activity that is south of the airport moving to the northeast so it's going to be crossing the runway south of the airport about three miles ... there's level five weather activity about two and a half miles south of the airport now." The pilot replied that he was ready to take off from runway 18L and requested vectors around the weather. At 1816:30, the local controller cleared the flight for takeoff from 18L and assigned the pilot a left turn to heading 090. The airplane departed, and no further radio contact was received from the flight. The airplane crashed into a swamp less than 1 nautical mile from the airport. A review of the NEXRAD Level-II radar imagery for HSV at 0016Z, base reflectivities of 50 decibels (dBZ) were in the immediate vicinity of the airport. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunction. According to FAA advisory circular AC-00-24b, "Thunderstorms," "VIP Level 5 is 'intense' with severe turbulence, lightning, hail likely, and organized surface wind gusts. ... Hazardous turbulence may extend as much as 20 miles from the echo edge ... ." AIM chapter 7-1-29, "Thunderstorm Flying," states, "Don't land or take off in the face of an approaching thunderstorm. A sudden gust front of low-level turbulence could cause loss of control."
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: 1,422 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 96.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2004
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-AJ1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KHSV
- Destination: KFTY Atlanta GA
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,800 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.