Cessna U206F accident near Ludington, Michigan, July 23, 2010
On July 23, 2010 at about 2:17 pm local time, a Cessna U206F, registered N82531, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Ludington, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of accumulated debris in the fuel system from an undetermined source. Also causal was the inadequate annual maintenance inspection that did not include inspection of the firewall fuel strainer and the fuel inlet screen.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 2010 · about 2:17 pm local time
- Place
- Ludington, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna U206F · all U206Fs on the register
- Registration
- N82531 · no longer on the register · serial U-206-01734
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was crossing Lake Michigan at 10,000 feet above mean sea level when the engine lost power. He was near the mid-point (about 24 miles from the shoreline) of the lake with a 40-knot headwind, so he turned around to return to shore. He attempted to restart the engine but was unsuccessful. The pilot ditched the airplane about 5 miles from shore and it quickly sank. Postaccident inspection of the airplane revealed that the firewall fuel strainer gasket did not provide a complete seal between the fuel screen and the fuel strainer's upper body. A portion of the gasket was positioned over the exit port, which created a gap. This allowed debris in the fuel to migrate to the engine's fuel inlet filter screen in the fuel metering assembly. The inspection of the fuel inlet filter screen revealed that it was partially obstructed with debris. The orifice of the fuel inlet passage contained the same debris that obstructed the flow of fuel through the orifice to the fuel screen. The airplane had undergone an annual maintenance inspection about 7.5 hours prior to the accident. The mechanic, who had an inspection authorization, reported that he did not inspect the gasket on the firewall fuel strainer, nor did he remove and inspect the fuel inlet filter screen as required by the manufacturer's service manual. The debris was composed of materials similar to wood chips, sawdust, paint, varnish, cloth, glass fibers, metal shavings, sand, and soil. The source of the contaminants was not determined. The postaccident inspection revealed no other preexisting airframe anomalies. The engine was run on a test stand and the engine produced the rated horsepower. The airplane's owner's manual indicated that the glide distance for an airplane at 10,000 feet above the water's surface was 15 miles.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Ditching during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel filter › strainer › Inadequate inspection
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel filter › strainer › Malfunction
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Scheduled/routine inspection › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,660 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 2,361 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 11, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,946 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 5, 2009; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-F3B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AMN Alma MI at 12:50 pm
- Destination: RST Rochester MN
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 7 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from LUD, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.