Cessna T206H accident near Cedar Rapids, Iowa, September 6, 2006
On September 6, 2006 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna T206H, registered N2430A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An in-flight collision with a bird during climb to cruise altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 6, 2006 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Cedar Rapids, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T206H · all T206Hs on the register
- Registration
- N2430A · no longer on the register · serial T20608609
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that the flight was climbing through 3,000 feet mean sea level to the assigned cruise altitude. He reported that a bird appeared from below the airplane's nose. He reportedly "banked right to try and avoid contact." Unfortunately he was not successful and the bird struck the left wing. The pilot stated: "The damage caused the airplane to be difficult to control, so I declared [an] emergency and returned [to the departure airport]." He subsequently landed without further incident. The post accident inspection revealed leading edge crushing of the left wing, aft to the forward spar, between the wing strut and the landing light assembly.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,501 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 1,402 as pilot in command; 1,088 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 70 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CID Cedar Rapids IA at 7:00 pm
- Destination: ICT Wichita KS
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 1:52 pm from CID
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.