Cessna U206G accident near Louisa, Virginia, April 11, 2014
On April 11, 2014 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 1980 Cessna U206G, registered N156SA, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Louisa, Virginia (Louisa County airport). It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to continue operation of the airplane with known mechanical issues (fluctuating oil pressure and metal in the oil filter), which was the result of undertorqued cylinder through bolts. Contributing to the accident was the mechanic's failure to properly torque the engine through bolts, which led to the eventual failure of the crankshaft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 11, 2014 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Louisa, Virginia · Louisa County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna U206G, built 1980 · all U206Gs on the register
- Registration
- N156SA · registry record · serial U20605670
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during the flight before the accident flight, he noted that the oil pressure was slowly fluctuating, so he chose to change the engine oil and filter. Airport personnel provided the supplies and observed the pilot perform the maintenance. The pilot removed and then opened the oil filter and "an excessive amount of metal" was observed. The pilot's mechanic had replaced four cylinders about 4 months earlier, and the pilot assumed that the metal was chrome from the overhauled cylinders and was the result of "break-in." Although airport personnel expressed concerns about the metallic debris, the pilot chose to finish the oil change and continue with his next flight. About 30 minutes after departure, the engine made "a strange sound," and it lost power about 20 seconds later. The pilot conducted a forced landing, and the airplane landed hard in an open field, which resulted in structural damage to the airframe. Disassembly and examination of the engine revealed that the engine cylinder through bolts on the Nos. 1 through 5 cylinders were significantly undertorqued. The crankshaft was fractured near the No. 2 main bearing. The areas adjacent to the No. 2 bearing on the inside of the engine case exhibited rotational scoring, indicating that bearing movement had occurred before the crankshaft failure. The Nos. 1 and 3 main bearings also exhibited evidence that bearing movement had occurred before the engine failure. It is likely that the mechanic did not properly torque the through bolts when he replaced the four cylinders, which allowed the bearings to move and led to the eventual failure of the crankshaft.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip engine power section › Incorrect service/maintenance
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Replacement › Maintenance personnel
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Understanding/comprehension › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,795 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 105 in the last 90 days; 2,664 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 15, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,370 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 21, 2013; 110 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,612 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 Series (piston); 1,931 hours total
- Operator: Laser Mapping Specialists INC
The flight
- Departed from: LKU Louisa VA at 9:30 pm
- Destination: LKU Louisa VA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 6 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from LKU, 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 ERA14LA193.