Cessna P206 accident near Frankston, Texas, March 16, 2025
On March 16, 2025 at about 7:50 pm local time, a 1966 Cessna P206, registered N4672F, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Frankston, Texas (Aero Estates Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing with a gusting crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 16, 2025 · about 7:50 pm local time · cases in 2025
- Place
- Frankston, Texas · Aero Estates Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P206 A, built 1966 · all P206s on the register
- Registration
- N4672F · registry record · serial P206-0272
- 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 during the touchdown, a strong wind gust pushed the airplane to the left. The left wheel caught the edge of the downslope on the left side of the runway and pulled the airplane into a ditch. The pilot attempted unsuccessfully to recover using right rudder. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing when it collided with a tree and came to rest in some brush. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident the pilot was landing the airplane on runway 27 with wind from 340° at 9 knots, gusting to 16 knots.
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 control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (landing roll)
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Response/compensation
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 145.1 hours in all; 122.8 in this make and model; 33.6 in the last 90 days; 15.8 in the last 30 days; 54.7 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,604.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-550-F (piston); 1,325 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KMNE Minden LA
- Destination: T25 Frankston TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,100 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 9 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from KTYR, 17 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KTYR 161853Z 34009G16KT 10SM CLR 19/M08 A3010 RMK AO2 SLP189 T01891078=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on May 29, 2025. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N4672F on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna P206 Super Skylane 163 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,684 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental IO-550-F 26 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Aero Estates Airport · nearest airport
- Minden Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,244 since 1982 · 1,065 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,945 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN25LA131.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.