Cessna T206H accident near Vineland, New Jersey, June 23, 2005
On June 23, 2005 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Cessna T206H, registered N72806, was substantially damaged in an accident near Vineland, New Jersey (Rudy'S 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 inadequate preflight planning, which resulted in his decision to land at a closed airport.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 2005 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Vineland, New Jersey · Rudy'S Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T206H · all T206Hs on the register
- Registration
- N72806 · no longer on the register · serial T20608253
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot elected to divert from his next intended stop, on a multi-stop, local flight. Using the nearest function on the airplane's GPS receiver, he found the closest airport, and, decided to land there. During the landing, the airplane encountered soft sand, and nosed over, resulting in substantial damage. The airport had been closed about 3 months prior to the accident, and an FAA NOTAM listed it as such.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 600 hours in all; 450 in this make and model
- Last flight review: August 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,026 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2005; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MIV Millville NJ
- Destination: 25N Vineland NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 08, 2,368 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,400 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from MIV, 11 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.