Cessna 205 accident near Ellington, Connecticut, September 26, 2016
On September 26, 2016 at about 1:05 pm local time, a 1963 Cessna 205, registered N8433Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Ellington, Connecticut (Ellington airport). It was a personal flight 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 exceedance of the airplane's critical angle-of-attack during the initial climb after an attempted go-around, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 26, 2016 · about 1:05 pm local time
- Place
- Ellington, Connecticut · Ellington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 205, built 1963
- Registration
- N8433Z · no longer on the register · serial 205-0433
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the landing roll he realized the airplane was not going stop within the remaining runway distance. He further reported that he aborted the landing and became airborne, but during the initial climb the airplane entered an aerodynamic stall and impacted terrain about 300 feet beyond the runway threshold. The fuselage and both wings sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Landing area overshoot during landing (aborted after touchdown)
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during initial climb
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,428 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 1,316 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 4, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,520.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 7, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-470-S (piston); 586 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7B2 Northampton MA at 12:40 pm
- Destination: 7B9 Ellington CT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 1,800 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 12:51 pm from KBDL, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on November 23, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photos (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.