Cessna 208B accident near Belleville, Michigan, September 15, 2000
On September 15, 2000 at about 2:15 am local time, a Cessna 208B, registered N806BF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Belleville, Michigan (Willow Run Airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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 improper securing of the cargo that led up to the cargo shift during takeoff roll. A factor was the cargo restraint failure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 15, 2000 · about 2:15 am local time
- Place
- Belleville, Michigan · Willow Run Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 208B · all 208Bs on the register
- Registration
- N806BF · no longer on the register · serial 208B-0806
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained substantial tail section damage on contact with the ramp surface while standing on the ramp. The flight encountered a shift in cargo on takeoff roll, aborted its takeoff, and taxied back to the ramp where its tail contacted the ramp on engine shutdown. The pilot was uninjured. A FAA inspector's record of interview stated, "According to [the pilot], prior to this incident only three to four straps were used. ... [The pilot] went on to explain that the cargo shifted upon the takeoff roll. ... Upon returning to the ramp he shut down the engine and that's when the aircraft fell on its tail. ... He also said that he was glad that it didn't happen after he had rotated because he was sure that he would have been a fatal accident." A FAA inspector's record of interview stated, "[The witness] stated that when the aircraft sat on its tail, [the Fixed Base Operator (FBO) there] was asked to unload the cargo, which only had one strap holding it down, the 'D' ring had come loose from the floor attachment, and that the cargo was still on rollers under the skid. [The witness] stated that they initially loaded the cargo on the aircraft only, and that the pilot was the one that secured the cargo prior to the incident. After the incident [the FBO] un-loaded the cargo on request of the pilot ... and then was asked to reload the cargo by [the pilot] because the pilot stated something about a hernia. [The witness] stated that the only way they would load the cargo on the airplane again was if they loaded and secured the cargo per their procedures because when [the pilot] secured the cargo he only used one strap and left the load on the rollers. ... [The witness] stated that the plane departed the airport with the cargo about 45 minutes after the accident." The NTSB Materials Laboratory Factual Report number 01-069 stated, "Examination of the plunger revealed that there were portions of the pin in each end of the pin hole. The portion that would have retained the plunger over the body was missing. ... The distance from the lowest point on the plunger pin ... to the underside of the plunger ... was measured and found to be 0.684 inches. The fracture face, [of one of the roll pins], displayed a shiny granular appearance typical of a brittle fracture. ... The side view ... illustrates the plunger in its lowest position with the pin contacting the bottom of the stud body hole.... In this position there is a gap of 0.09 inches between the bottom of the plunger ... and the bottom of the stud body...."
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,390 hours in all; 76 in this make and model; 186 in the last 90 days; 71 in the last 30 days; 3,967 as pilot in command; 2,025 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 10, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 125 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 29, 2000; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6-114A (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: YIP Belleville MI at 10:30 pm
- Destination: BFR Bedford IN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 129°F (54°C), dew point 129°F (54°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from YIP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.