Cessna 205 accident near Fallon, Nevada, May 11, 1991
On May 11, 1991 at about 6:37 pm local time, a Cessna 205, registered N8360Z, was destroyed in an accident near Fallon, Nevada (Fallon airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S IMPROPER HANDLING OF THE AIRPLANE AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED ON INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB RESULTING IN AN IN FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL, STALL/SPIN, AND SUBSEQUENT IN FLIGHT 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 11, 1991 · about 6:37 pm local time
- Place
- Fallon, Nevada · Fallon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 205
- Registration
- N8360Z · no longer on the register · serial 205-0360
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A CESSNA 205 COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE WAS WITNESSED TO START ITS TAKEOFF ROLL FROM THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD. THE AIRPLANE THEN CLIMBED AT ABOUT A 45 DEGREE NOSE UP ATTITUDE DURING THE INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB, STALLED, AND THEN SPUN TO THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT FRONT SEAT WAS EQUIPPED WITH AN AFTER MARKET MECHANICAL SEAT STOP ON THE SEAT FLOOR RAIL. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WITH THE AIRPLANE INCLUDING NO EVIDENCE OF THE PILOT'S SEAT SLIDING DURING THE TAKEOFF ROTATION.
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: 248 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 210 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,707 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 14, 1990; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470S (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 1 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from NFL, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.