Cessna T206H accident near Piggott, Arkansas, May 15, 2015
On May 15, 2015 at about 1:40 pm local time, a 2014 Cessna T206H, registered N164CS, was substantially damaged in an accident during prior to flight near Piggott, Arkansas (Piggott Muncipal airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power due to a malfunctioning magneto. Contributing to the accident was maintenance personnel's improper use of a drill bit instead of a timing pin during magneto installation, which resulted in a section of the drill bit breaking off and ultimately to the magneto failure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 15, 2015 · about 1:40 pm local time
- Place
- Piggott, Arkansas · Piggott Muncipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T206H, built 2014 · all T206Hs on the register
- Registration
- N164CS · no longer on the register · serial T20609132
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
**This report was modified on August 28, 2016. Please see the docket for this accident to view the original report.** The airline transport rated pilot reported that, after an en route stop, he planned to continue his cross-country personal flight. The pilot reported that, during takeoff and as the airplane was between about 20 and 30 ft above the ground, he felt the engine surge, and it then lost power. The airplane was traveling too fast to stop on the remaining runway, and it impacted a ditch at the end of the runway. Examinations of the airframe and engine revealed that the left magneto was malfunctioning. During subsequent examination of the magneto, a section of a drill bit, which approximated the diameter of a timing pin, was found inside of it. A review of maintenance records revealed that the left magneto had been replaced 15.6 hours before the accident. A review of engine monitor data revealed that the exhaust gas temperature spiked three times; two of the spikes were attributed to the "before takeoff" magneto checks. The third spike occurred during the takeoff and just before a power reduction. The data are consistent with the left magneto failing during the takeoff. The accident is consistent with maintenance personnel improperly using a drill bit as a timing pin to time the magneto before installing it on the engine. Maintenance personnel likely rotated the engine while the drill bit was still in the magneto, which resulted in a section of the drill bit then breaking off and eventually causing the magneto to fail.
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
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during prior to flight defining event
- Loss of engine power (partial) during takeoff
- Runway excursion during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Malfunction
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › (general) › Maintenance personnel
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › Maintenance/inspections › (general) › Incorrect service/maintenance
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 23,020 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 20,650 as pilot in command; 3,571 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 113.6 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, March 30, 2015; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,605 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-AJ1A (piston); 114 hours total
- Operator: Mid Continent Aircraft Corp
The flight
- Departed from: 7M7 Piggott AR at 12:40 pm
- Destination: KARG Walnut Ridge AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,550 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 12:35 pm from K4M9, 23 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.