Indus Aviation T211 accident near Death Valley, California, May 4, 2006
On May 4, 2006 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Indus Aviation T211, registered N160SE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Death Valley, California (Saline Valley Landing Zone 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 failure to maintain an adequate airspeed during final approach, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/mush and collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 4, 2006 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Death Valley, California · Saline Valley Landing Zone · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Indus Aviation T211
- Registration
- N160SE · no longer on the register · serial 016
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with terrain about 1,300 feet short of the runway. The pilot extended the downwind leg of the traffic pattern to allow for adequate separation at his destination airport. While turning onto final approach he extended the flaps to the 20-degree position and reduced the airspeed to 60 miles per hour (mph). As the airplane approached the runway the pilot noted that he was too close to the ground with too slow of an airspeed. He applied full power but the airplane settled toward the terrain. The pilot noted no pre impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane or engine 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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 244 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jabiru 3300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BIH Bishop CA
- Destination: Death Valley CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 1,300 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.