Cessna TU206G accident near Mammoth Lakes, California, December 8, 1996
On December 8, 1996 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna TU206G, registered N756UP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mammoth Lakes, California (Mammoth Lakes airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of power for undetermined reasons, and the pilot's inappropriate use of flaps and his failure to maintain an adequate airspeed during the subsequent landing attempt.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 8, 1996 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mammoth Lakes, California · Mammoth Lakes · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna TU206G · all TU206Gs on the register
- Registration
- N756UP · no longer on the register · serial U20604369
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that about 40 miles south of the airport the fuel pressure dropped and he turned on the auxiliary fuel pump and continued the descent for landing. On final approach the aircraft was low and he added throttle, with no response. The pilot noted that the stall warning was sounding and he lowered the nose slightly to prevent a stall. The aircraft landed hard on the runway threshold and collapsed the nose gear. The pilot told responding police officers that at 100 feet agl on final the engine lost power and a high rate of descent developed. He further told the responding officers that he 'put on full flaps to slow his free fall,' and when that did not work, he lowered the nose to regain speed. The aircraft collided with the runway on the nose gear, collapsing it, and damaging the propeller. The Safety Board was notified of the accident 2 weeks after the occurrence, and after the aircraft had been moved and disassembled. The total fuel quantity and the distribution among the tanks was not ascertained. The Safety Board located the aircraft at the salvage facility who transported it from the accident site. The engine was started and successfully test run using the airframe systems.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,222 hours in all; 722 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 1,064 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,280 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 30, 1996; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FUL Fullerton CA at 3:20 pm
- Destination: MMH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 7,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.