Cessna 206 accident near Ardmore, Oklahoma, August 16, 1986
On August 16, 1986 at about 9:15 am local time, a Cessna 206, registered N6128Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ardmore, Oklahoma (Ardmore Downtown airport). 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).
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
- August 16, 1986 · about 9:15 am local time
- Place
- Ardmore, Oklahoma · Ardmore Downtown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 206 · all 206s on the register
- Registration
- N6128Z · no longer on the register · serial U20606151
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRE-SOLO STUDENT PILOT HAD TAKEN THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT THE OWNER'S PERMISSION. HE FLEW AROUND THE AREA FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES BEFORE RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT. AFTER A HARD LANDING, THE NOSE WHEEL TIRE BLEW CAUSING THE NOSE WHEEL TO COLLAPSE. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FIREWALL AND FUSELAGE.
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: student
- Flight time: 9 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 983 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1985; 983 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 79°F (26°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:18 am from SPS, 75 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.
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.