Cessna U206F accident near Rumney, New Hampshire, August 30, 2013
On August 30, 2013 at about 9:35 pm local time, a 1974 Cessna U206F, registered N208LH, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Rumney, New Hampshire. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to ensure that the amphibious airplane's landing gear was properly configured for a landing on water and his failure to properly configure the airplane during the attempted go-around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 2013 · about 9:35 pm local time
- Place
- Rumney, New Hampshire · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna U206F F, built 1974 · all U206Fs on the register
- Registration
- N208LH · registry record · serial U20602642
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The purpose of the flight was for the pilot to relocate the amphibious airplane from an airport with a small grass runway, to another nearby land airport. Enroute, the pilot planned to make two intermediate stops at local lakes, before proceeding to the destination. After takeoff from the departure airport, the pilot did not retract the landing gear, and climbed the airplane in preparation to land at the first intermediate destination lake, which was located about 6 miles and about 1,500 feet in elevation above the departure airport. During the climb, the pilot leaned the engine's fuel mixture, and observed four green lights illuminated on the instrument panel, after which he stated, "Gear is up for water landing." He again repeated the landing gear check with the lake of intended landing in sight; however, illumination of four blue lights on the instrument panel was the correct indication that the landing gear was retracted and configured for a water landing. While on final approach to the lake, while at an altitude of 40 feet and an airspeed of 75 mph, the landing gear warning indicator announced "gear is down for runway landing." The pilot responded by immediately initiating a go-around. The pilot pushed the throttle and propeller vernier controls forward simultaneously, but only brushed his fingers against the mixture control. The airplane continued to descend and struck the water about 10 seconds later with the engine under partial power. The airplane immediately nosed over upon touchdown, resulting in substantial damage. The pilot later was advised by witnesses who observed the accident that during the go-around attempt, that as the engine power increased, it began "sputtering." The pilot then realized that he was likely unable to hear this due to the background noise of the music he had playing and noise-cancelling headset he was wearing. Upon examining the wreckage following the accident, the pilot found that the mixture control had not been fully advanced as he had applied power during the go-around attempt. In evaluating his fitness for flight following the accident, the pilot stated, "The flight was after a stressful day of work. Mentally I was C+ material at best. Concentration and focus was not as high as I like for flying."
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
- Attempted remediation/recovery during approach (VFR pattern final)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › (general) › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine fuel and control › Fuel control/carburetor › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,973 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 19.7 in the last 30 days; 2,902 as pilot in command; 601 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 7, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,630 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 14, 2012; 106 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors IO-520F (piston); 2,630 hours total
- Operator: Airborne Flyer LLC
The flight
- Departed from: 1P1 Plymouth NH at 9:25 pm
- Destination: Rumney NH
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 8:35 pm from K1P1, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA13CA416.