Cessna TU206 accident near Pell City, Alabama, December 11, 2025
On December 11, 2025 at about 7:40 pm local time, a 1973 Cessna TU206, registered N917WC, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Pell City, Alabama. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 11, 2025 · about 7:40 pm local time
- Place
- Pell City, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna TU206 F, built 1973 · all TU206s on the register
- Registration
- N917WC · registry record · serial U20602032
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On December 11, 2025, about 1340 central standard time, a Cessna TU206F, N917WC, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Pell City, Alabama. The commercial pilot was not injured. The single passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 aerial observation flight. The pilot reported that he departed on the aerial observation flight with 107 gallons of fuel onboard for a planned 4-hour flight. About 3 hours and 45 minutes into the flight, the pilot observed fluctuations of the fuel quantity and fuel pressure gauges followed, by a sudden total loss of engine power. After informing air traffic control of the emergency, the pilot made an emergency landing in a field, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. A postaccident examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the nose landing gear had collapsed and the empennage had partially separated during the forced landing. The wreckage was recovered and retained for further examination.
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
- Engine shutdown during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The aircraft
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Barr Air Patrol LLC
The flight
- Departed from: BHM Birmingham AL
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 pm from BHM, 17 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KBHM 111853Z VRB03KT 10SM BKN250 12/M07 A3009 RMK AO2 SLP188 T01171067
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 ERA26LA066.