Cessna P206 accident near Hill City, Minnesota, March 3, 2020
On March 3, 2020 at about 11:00 pm local time, a 1965 Cessna P206, registered N206JF, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Hill City, Minnesota (Hill City-Quadna Mountain airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain the proper altitude and airspeed during the approach and his delayed addition of power to go around and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in a nose-over after landing on the closed snow-covered runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 3, 2020 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hill City, Minnesota · Hill City-Quadna Mountain · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P206 Undesignat, built 1965 · all P206s on the register
- Registration
- N206JF · registry record · serial P206-0137
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he was receiving a flight review and the flight instructor had briefed him to fly the approach to the runway and to terminate the approach by conducting a go-around. However, the pilot allowed the airplane to become "too low and too slow." The landing gear contacted the snow-covered runway as engine power was being added, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The chart supplement for the airport indicated that the airport was closed during winter months. In addition, a NOTAM was in effect advising pilots that the runway was closed from early December through mid-May.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during approach
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach
- Nose over/nose down defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Snow/slush/ice covered surface › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,342 hours in all; 8 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 1,259 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 18, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 19,315 hours in all; 1,150 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 18,450 as pilot in command; 2,300 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 21, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,164.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 27, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-F (piston); 934 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GPZ Grand Rapids MN at 10:45 pm
- Destination: 9Y0 Bowstring MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 2,902 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.50 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from KGPZ, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on April 7, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Hill City Chart Supplement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | NOTAM -07Y | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.