Cessna TU206F accident near Crystal River, Florida, March 8, 1994
On March 8, 1994 at about 6:10 pm local time, a Cessna TU206F, registered N8319Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crystal River, Florida. It was a business 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
THE FAILURE OF THE NO 1 PISTON CONNECTING ROD FOR UNDETERMINED CAUSES. THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 8, 1994 · about 6:10 pm local time
- Place
- Crystal River, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna TU206F · all TU206Fs on the register
- Registration
- N8319Q · no longer on the register · serial 03180
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT THE PILOT NOTED A LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE FOLLOWED BY A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER. HE TURNED TO THE NEAREST LAND AND INITIATED A FORCED LANDING. WHEN HE REALIZED HE WOULD NOT MAKE LAND HE DITCHED THE AIRPLANE IN THE SEA. SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE AFTER RECOVERY REVEALED THE NO.1 PISTON CONNECTING ROD HAD FAILED AND PENETRATED THE ENGINE CRANKCASE. DUE TO THE DESTRUCTION OF THE FRACTURE SURFACES THE CAUSE FOR THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED.
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: 2,300 hours in all; 400 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 985 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sunrise Community INC.
The flight
- Departed from: BGM Birmingham AL at 4:00 pm
- Destination: TMB Miami FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:47 pm from GNV, 38 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.