Cessna T206 accident near Bentonville, Arkansas, August 1, 2020
On August 1, 2020 at about 1:00 am local time, a 2009 Cessna T206, registered N829PA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (aborted after touchdown) near Bentonville, Arkansas (Bentonville Muni/Louise M Thad airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's misjudgment of the landing flare which resulted in a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 2020 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Bentonville, Arkansas · Bentonville Muni/Louise M Thad · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T206 H, built 2009 · all T206s on the register
- Registration
- N829PA · registry record · serial T20608950
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported landing "flat" and the airplane "bounced." After a second "bounce" the pilot initiated a go-around. However, when the nose landing gear contacted the runway a third time, the nose wheel "blew out." The airplane veered to the left, exited the runway pavement, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot observed no anomalies during the preflight inspection. A flight instructor who witnessed the accident stated that the airplane remained in a "nose down pitch attitude" until the nose wheel contacted the runway which caused the airplane to "bounce." After the third bounce, the nose wheel "blew out sending white smoke into the air."
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (aborted after touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (aborted after touchdown)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (aborted after touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 162.6 hours in all; 11.1 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 20.3 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: December 20, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 731.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 20, 2020; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-AJ1A (piston); 732 hours total
- Operator: Summit Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: PLK Branson MO
- Destination: VBT Bentonville AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 4,426 ft by 65 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on October 16, 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 | Conversation Summary -- Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Witness Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Maintenance Records (Excerpt) | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Pilot Logbook (Excerpt) | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Accident 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.