Cessna 206 accident near Del Rio, Texas, July 1, 1989
On July 1, 1989 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Cessna 206, registered N579LD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Del Rio, Texas (Del Rio Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT'S IMPROPER FLARE AND IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN A PORPOISE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 1989 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Del Rio, Texas · Del Rio Intl
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 206 · all 206s on the register
- Registration
- N579LD · no longer on the register · serial 20605066
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT DURING A LANDING, THE ACFT BALLOONED BEFORE TOUCHDOWN. HE SAID HE TRIED TO LEVEL THE PLANE, BUT IT TOUCHED DOWN, NOSEWHEEL FIRST. IT THEN PORPORPOISED SEVERAL TIMES & THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. BEFORE STOPPING, THE ACFT SKIDDED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RWY & WAS FURTHER DAMAGED.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 323 hours in all; 211 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 5,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from DRT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N579LD the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.