Cessna C-U206B accident near Novato, California, June 4, 1991
On June 4, 1991 at about 6:00 am local time, a Cessna C-U206B, registered N9967M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Novato, California (Gnoss 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 IMPROPERLY USED THE MIXTURE CONTROL, FAILED TO ATTAIN THE AIRSPEED AND DELAYED IN ABORTING THE TAKEOFF.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 1991 · about 6:00 am local time
- Place
- Novato, California · Gnoss · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna C-U206B
- Registration
- N9967M · no longer on the register · serial U20604617
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING NIGHT TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS TO BECOME CURRENT FOR NIGHT OPERATIONS. HE DEPARTED RUNWAY 13 AND LANDED ON RUNWAY 31. AFTER LANDING ON RUNWAY 31 AND ROLLING OUT TO THE END OF THE RUNWAY THE PILOT AGAIN DEPARTED RUNWAY 13. THE PILOT FORGOT TO PLACE THE MIXTURE CONTROL IN THE RICH POSITION AND BEGAN THE TAKEOFF ROLL. WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT TWO THIRDS DOWN THE RUNWAY THE AIRPLANE'S AIRSPEED WAS INSUFFICIENT TO EFFECT LIFT-OFF. THE PILOT ABORTED THE TAKEOFF BUT THE REMAINING RUNWAY WAS INSUFFICIENT TO STOP THE AIRPLANE ON THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE OVERRAN THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY AND ENTERED THE SOFT AND ROUGH TERRAIN AND NOSED OVER ONTO ITS BACK.
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: 350 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,300 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
Other NTSB records under N9967M 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.