Cessna U206B accident near Key West, Florida, August 14, 2004
On August 14, 2004 at about 6:51 pm local time, a Cessna U206B, registered N3800G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Key West, Florida. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power for an undetermined reason during cruise flight, which resulted in the pilot ditching the airplane in ocean waters.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 14, 2004 · about 6:51 pm local time
- Place
- Key West, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna U206B · all U206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N3800G · registry record · serial U206-0800
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport certificated pilot was flying passengers and a cameraman associated with a film production to film a fort on an island. During the filming, the pilot stated he switched fuel tanks, and noted that the left tank was full, and the right tank about 3/4 full. As the airplane approached the fort, the engine sputtered, and then regained full power. A minute or two later, the pilot indicated the engine lost all power, and after unsuccessfully trying to restart it, he ditched the airplane. The pilot and passengers were all able to exit the airplane except the cameraman, who tied himself to the seat with a rope prior to takeoff after the cargo door had been removed to facilitate filming. Attempts to free the cameraman prior to the airplane sinking were unsuccessful, and he drowned. A passenger noted that the right fuel tank fuel gauge was somewhere around the 1/4 mark, and bouncing as the airplane flew. Postaccident inspection of the airplane, recovered 17 days later from ocean waters, disclosed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunction.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 150 in this make and model
- Last flight review: February 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,793.2 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental IO-520-F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MTH Marathon FL at 5:30 pm
- Destination: EYW Key West FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from EYW, 61 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.