Cessna 206 accident near Williston, North Dakota, July 16, 1995
On July 16, 1995 at about 1:14 pm local time, a Cessna 206, registered N29000, was substantially damaged in an accident near Williston, North Dakota (Sloulin Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
engine failure due to low fuel pressure at high power settings and subsequent detonation. A factor was an evasive maneuver to avoid obstacles which precipitated a stall. Additional factors include the hay bales, farm equipment, and the runway berm.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 16, 1995 · about 1:14 pm local time
- Place
- Williston, North Dakota · Sloulin Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 206 · all 206s on the register
- Registration
- N29000 · registry record · serial 206-1000
- 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 he noticed an engine vibration about 10 minutes after takeoff, and returned to Williston to make a precautionary landing. While approaching the downwind leg for runway 29 the engine seized. He was unable to make a runway landing so he attempted to land on the airport property. He saw hay bales and equipment where he intended to land, and manuevered to avoid the bales. The airplane stalled in a near level attitude, impacting the runway berm. Examination of the engine revealed that the fuel system was running rich at low power settings, but lean at high power settings. The fuel pump was delivering 22 psi of fuel pressure instead of the 34 psi specified. The examination of the number four piston revealed that it was severely eroded around the perimeter of the piston, typical of combustion chamber detonation.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 14,800 as pilot in command; 10,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,507 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 1995; 103 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-CDF (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ISN at 1:02 pm
- Destination: YQL Lethbridge, Can
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 9,000 ft; scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from ISN, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.