Cessna 206E accident near San Benito, Texas, November 16, 1994
On November 16, 1994 at about 2:18 am local time, a Cessna 206E, registered XBEPF, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Benito, Texas. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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 ATTEMPT TO MAKE AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING AT NIGHT AND THE INADVERTENT GROUND LOOP. A FACTOR WAS THE DARK NIGHT LIGHT CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 16, 1994 · about 2:18 am local time
- Place
- San Benito, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 206E · all 206Es on the register
- Registration
- XBEPF · no longer on the register · serial U206-01697
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AN UNIDENTIFIED PILOT GROUND LOOPED THE AIRPLANE WHILE LANDING IN AN UNLIGHTED OPEN FIELD AT NIGHT. THE NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE RIGHT WING SPAR WAS FRACTURED. THE DATA PLATE WAS NOT FOUND ON THE FOREIGN REGISTERED AIRPLANE. NO CARGO OR BAGGAGE WAS FOUND ABOARD THE AIRPLANE. ALL SEATS HAD BEEN REMOVED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE TWO FRONT SEATS. THE PILOT AND THE FOREIGN OWNER OF THE AIRPLANE WERE NOT LOCATED. A U.S CUSTOMS TEAM INSPECTED AND TESTED THE AIRPLANE FOR EVIDENCE OR SIGNS OF DRUGS OR ILLEGAL OPERATION. NO EVIDENCE OF DRUGS WAS FOUND.
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
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 310° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:47 am from HRL
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.