Cessna P206B incident near West Palm Beach, Florida, March 29, 1989
On March 29, 1989 at about 3:23 pm local time, a Cessna P206B, registered N4740F, was involved in an incident near West Palm Beach, Florida. It was an other work-use 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
FAILURE OF THE THROTTLE CONTROL ARM RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY POOR MAINTENANCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 29, 1989 · about 3:23 pm local time
- Place
- West Palm Beach, Florida · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P206B · all P206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N4740F · registry record · serial P206-0340
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TAKEOFF WHILE CLIMBING TO CRUISE, THE PLT PULLED THE THROTTLE TO REDUCE POWER, BUT WAS UNABLE. HE THEN ADVISED ATC & REQUESTED LANDING ON THE LONGEST RWY. ATC VECTORED THE ACFT TO THE WEST & WHEN IT WAS 3 MILES FROM THE RWY, THE ENG RPM DROPPED TO IDLE. THE PLT LANDED THE ACFT IN A FIELD. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE THROTTLE CONTROL ARM AT THE FUEL CONTROLLER FAILED. VIBRATION THEN CAUSED THE THROTTLE TO VIBRATE TO IDLE. REPORTEDLY, IT WAS WORN & HAD FAILED DUE TO POOR MAINTENANCE.
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: 725 hours in all; 406 in this make and model; 72 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 660 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,104 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 3, 1988; 270 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: MYNN Nassau OF
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,900 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from PBI, 4 miles away
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.
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.