Cessna 205 accident near Celina, Ohio, May 9, 1999
On May 9, 1999 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 205, registered N8157Z, was destroyed in an accident near Celina, Ohio (Lakefield Airport). It was a skydiving flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 6 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
was the pilot's failure to refuel the airplane which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a loss of engine power. Also causal to the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control after the power loss. A factor in the accident was a lack of published operational or safety procedures for the parachute club and the operator's failure to verify the pilot's medical qualifications.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 9, 1999 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Celina, Ohio · Lakefield Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 6 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 205
- Registration
- N8157Z · registry record · serial 2050157
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Skydiving flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane departed on a parachuting flight with 5 parachutists on board. Several witnesses reported hearing the airplane during climb out. Each witness described smooth engine noise, brief 'sputtering,' and then a total loss of engine power. The airplane descended straight ahead at the same pitch attitude, then the nose dropped, a parachutist exited, and the airplane entered a spiraling descent. Two more jumpers exited the airplane before ground contact. A review of jump logs and conversation with the operator revealed the pilot flew three lifts of jumpers to approximately 10,000 feet. Each lift was approximately 30 minutes in duration. The accident flight occurred during the fourth lift. The airplane departed on its first lift with 30 gallons of fuel. No fuel was dispensed into the airplane between the first and fourth lift. At the scene, 8 ounces of fuel were drained from the selected tank, and a leak test revealed no leaks. Examination revealed that all fuel system components were operational and there were no pre-impact anomalies. A request for a jump club SOP revealed that no such document existed. The club operator reported that club operations were at his direction.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 277 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 71 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 193 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,164 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 21, 1998; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-DCA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CQA at 9:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 3,794 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from AOH, 28 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number IAD99FA043.