Cessna U206 accident near San Angelo, Texas, February 3, 1989
On February 3, 1989 at about 2:50 am local time, a Cessna U206, registered N8096Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Angelo, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE DURING CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND DARK NIGHT WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 3, 1989 · about 2:50 am local time
- Place
- San Angelo, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Cessna U206 · all U206s on the register
- Registration
- N8096Z · no longer on the register · serial U206-0496
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLOAT PLANE PLT WAS ON A VFR FLT AT NIGHT TO NASWORTHY LAKE NEAR SAN ANGELO, TX. HE CONTINUED INTO DETERIORATING WX CONDITIONS. SUBSEQUENTLY, WHILE CRUISING BELOW THE CLOUDS, THE ACFT IMPACTED TERRAIN AT AN ELEV OF ABOUT 2500' MSL. IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT, THE PLT STATED THAT HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAINTAIN 3500' MSL & ENCOUNTERED STRONG DOWNDRAFTS. HOWEVER, IN EARLIER CONVERSATIONS WITH AN FAA COORDINATOR, HE INDICATED HE WAS TRYING TO MAINTAIN A LOWER ALTITUDE (APRX 200' AGL). RPRTDLY, IMPACT OCCURRED AS THE ACFT WAS FLYING AT ABOUT 90 KTS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 569 hours in all; 151 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 368 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Red Bluff Lake TX
- Destination: NONE Nasworthy Lake TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 030° at 17 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 am from SJT, 39 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.