Cessna U206G accident near Ramona, California, April 4, 1999
On April 4, 1999 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Cessna U206G, registered N756CF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ramona, California (Ramona airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed margin to compensate for the variable wind conditions existing at the time of the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 4, 1999 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Ramona, California · Ramona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna U206G · all U206Gs on the register
- Registration
- N756CF · registry record · serial U20603978
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said he flew to Ramona to practice takeoffs and landings. During the accident sequence, the aircraft was on short final and configured with full flaps at a normal approach speed when a very high sink rate suddenly developed. The pilot said he was unable to arrest the descent before colliding with the ground. He further stated that during the prior landings, the winds had been variable 10 degrees or more on either side of the runway heading and he believed he encountered a wind shear. The aviation surface weather observation (METAR) at Ramona taken 11 minutes after the accident reported winds from 260 at 7 knots, variable from 230 to 290 degrees.
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: 347 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 277 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,449 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 18, 1998; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-F (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pinnacle Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: CRQ Carlsbad CA at 7:00 pm
- Destination: RNM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:56 pm from RNM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.