Cessna T206H accident near Santa Maria, California, June 27, 2006
On June 27, 2006 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Cessna T206H, registered N562H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Maria, California (Santa Maria Public Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were 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 directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 27, 2006 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Maria, California · Santa Maria Public Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T206H · all T206Hs on the register
- Registration
- N562H · no longer on the register · serial 8537
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane veered off the runway and ground looped during landing. On touchdown, the pilot retarded the throttle and noted an indicated airspeed of 60 knots. At this time, the airline transport pilot (ATP) passenger in the right seat retracted the flaps. The pilot applied brakes and the airplane turned sharply to the left. The pilot released the brakes and then lightly reapplied them. The airplane continued moving to the left and the pilot said he applied full right aileron and increased power. The airplane turned and banked further to the left, causing the left wing to contact the ground. The nose of the airplane came down and the propeller blades contacted the ground. The pilot reduced the power, returning the airplane to a level attitude. The airplane came to rest 30 to 40 feet left of the runway centerline on a heading of 320 degrees. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane. He did not find any abnormalities with the brakes. The wheels rotated freely and there were no flat spots or other signs of trauma to the tires.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,410 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 1,280 as pilot in command; 540 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 307.7 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lycoming TIO-540-AJ1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: California Flight Center, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: SBA Santa Barbara CA at 9:20 pm
- Destination: SMX Santa Maria CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 6,304 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 pm from SMX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N562H the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.