Cessna U206 accident near Billings, Montana, June 16, 1983
On June 16, 1983 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Cessna U206, registered N2187F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Billings, Montana (Billings Logan airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 16, 1983 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Billings, Montana · Billings Logan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna U206 · all U206s on the register
- Registration
- N2187F · registry record · serial U206-0387
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT NOSED OVER DURING A FORCED LANDING AFTER THE ENGINE QUIT DURING DESCENT FOR APPROACH TO LAND. THE PILOT STATED THAT VERY SHORTLY AFTER THE BEGINNING OF DESCENT TO LAND THE ENGINE QUIT AT 5000 FT WHILE HE WAS ACCOMPLISHING THE CHECKLIST. THE PLT SAID LATER THAT HE THOUGHT HE COULD REACH THE RWY BUT THE WINDMILLING PROPELLER CAUSED A HIGH SINK RATE. HE STATED THAT HE THOUGHT HE TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE BY SWITCHING TANKS AT LEAST ONCE ('BUT MAYBE TWICE'.) USING BOOST PUMP WITH EACH TANK AND CHANGING MIXTURE SETTING WITH NO SUCCESS. HE THEN HAD TO LAND OFF THE ARPT AND NOSED OVER.AN ONSITE EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED NO FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK AND A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT IN THE LEFT TANK. THERE WAS NO SPILLAGE OR RUPTURES IN EITHER TANK. THE EMERGENCY AIRSTART PROCEDURE FROM THE OPERATING HANDBOOK: 1. 75 KIAS 2. FUEL SELECTOR VALVE AND QUANTITY CHECK 3. MIXTURE-RICH 4.AUX FUEL PUMP ON 3-5 SEC WITH THROTTLE HALF OPEN, THEN OFF 5. IGNITION SWITCH BOTH (OR START IF PROP STOPS) 6. THROTTLE-ADVANCE SLOWLY. PLT HAD NOT FLOWN THIS MODEL ACFT IN 90 DAYS.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 953 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 773 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,132 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1983; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BTM Butte MT at 10:02 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 9R, 3,800 ft by 275 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:20 pm from BIL, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N2187F the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.