Cessna 206 accident near Clewiston, Florida, April 10, 2004
On April 10, 2004 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Cessna 206, registered N5019U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clewiston, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the No. 2 cylinder connecting rod for undetermined reasons, and the failure of one of the connecting rod bolts due to tension overload resulting in the total loss of engine power and subsequent collision with a ditch during the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 10, 2004 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Clewiston, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 206 · all 206s on the register
- Registration
- N5019U · no longer on the register · serial 206-0019
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that after takeoff the flight climbed to 7,500 feet mean sea level (msl) and approximately 40-45 minutes into the flight, the engine started shaking. He repositioned the fuel selector, and the shaking decreased slightly. The flight continued and the shaking continued. He spiraled down to 3,500 feet msl, and the shaking became worse. He glanced at the cylinder head temperature gauge, and oil pressure and temperature gauges, and reported that at that time all were in the green. He looked for a place to land and due to cars on a nearby roadway, landed in a ditch adjacent to the road. Examination of the engine by a representative of the engine manufacturer with FAA oversight revealed that the No. 2 cylinder connecting rod and one of the connecting rod bolts were fractured. The other connecting rod bolt was not fractured and remained secured to the connecting rod cap and section of connecting rod. Additionally, the No. 2 crankpin was dry but not heat discolored, and the oil port for the No. 2 crankpin was free of obstructions. Metallurgical examination of the fractured components by the NTSB Materials Laboratory located in Washington, D.C., revealed the fracture surface of the connecting rod bolt exhibited features consistent with tensile overstress. The bolt was determined to meet specification related to hardness. Mechanical damage to the fracture surface of the connecting rod precluded determination of failure mode. Review of the maintenance records revealed the engine was last overhauled on March 29, 1977, and installed in the accident airplane on April 15, 1977. The engine was disassembled, inspected, and reassembled on July 15, 1977, or approximately 50.0 hours since the overhaul in March of that year. The engine was installed in the airplane, test run, and found to be airworthy. Cylinders 1, 4, and 6 were removed and replaced on April 4, 1981. The engine had accumulated approximately 1,652 hours since last overhaul at the time of the accident.
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: 700 hours in all; 22 in the last 90 days; 700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,340 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 10, 2003; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KMTH Marathon FL at 1:45 pm
- Destination: KVRB Vero Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 700 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KFXE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.