Cessna 208 accident near Ellington, Connecticut, June 4, 2022
On June 4, 2022 at about 3:22 pm local time, a 1985 Cessna 208, registered N90JF, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Ellington, Connecticut (Ellington airport). It was a skydiving flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, an emergency landing, and runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 2022 · about 3:22 pm local time · cases in 2022
- Place
- Ellington, Connecticut · Ellington · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 208, built 1985 · all 208s on the register
- Registration
- N90JF · registry record · serial 20800005
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Skydiving flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he planned to refuel the skydiving jump airplane after his third flight of skydivers and experienced about 10 minutes of loading delays with the third flight of skydivers. Then, while climbing, he was “delayed a few minutes” because of traffic in the area. He stated that he was not sure when the low fuel light illuminated, but that on his descent back toward the airport after releasing the third load of skydivers, the red “Reservoir Fuel Low” annunciator illuminated. About 8,000 ft mean sea level, the engine lost all power due to fuel exhaustion. Subsequently, the pilot made an emergency landing at the airport; however, the airplane was “fast and floated.” The airplane touched down midfield, departed the end of the runway, and encountered a tree line, substantially damaging the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. After the accident, the pilot stated he “believe[d] the aircraft ran out of fuel due to several unforeseen and unplanned delays.”
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
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute (descent) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level other cases naming the fuel system
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,185 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 2,100 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 9, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 19,514.5 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 4, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 8,035 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Connecticut Parachutist Inc
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 1,800 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 am from BDL, 10 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KBDL 041451Z VRB05KT 10SM FEW030 23/13 A2986 RMK AO2 SLP110 T02280133 58005
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 6 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photo 1 – View of Airplane from Rear
Photo 2 – View of Airplane from Left
Photo 3 – View of Left Wing Damage
Photo 4 – Close-Up View of Wing Damage
Photo 5 – View of Dry Fuel Measuring Stick Showing No Fuel
Photo 6 – View of Dry Fuel Measuring Stick Showing No FuelThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on October 17, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 13 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photo Array | PDF, 7 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 5 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N90JF the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N90JF on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 208 Caravan 1,018 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,677 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114A 250 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Ellington Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Connecticut 522 since 1982 · 68 in the last ten years
- Connecticut 1,612 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N90JF 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA22LA264.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.