Cessna U206G accident near Key West, Florida, March 17, 1996
On March 17, 1996 at about 5:37 pm local time, a Cessna U206G, registered N9983Z, was destroyed in an accident near Key West, Florida (Gulf Of Mexico Spb airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 5 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper decision to continue the flight rather than making an immediate water landing due to the low altitude of the airplane and obstructions ahead, which led to his intentional maneuver to avoid the obstructions and subsequent inadvertent stall and loss of control. Contributing to the accident were: an inadequate 100-hour inspection of the airplane by company maintenance personnel for failure to fix a damaged ignition lead and a partially separated keel on one of the floats, the pilot's inadequate preflight of the airplane for his failure to pump a float to remove water, and the pilot's intentional operation of the airplane with an excessive magneto drop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 17, 1996 · about 5:37 pm local time
- Place
- Key West, Florida · Gulf Of Mexico Spb · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna U206G · all U206Gs on the register
- Registration
- N9983Z · no longer on the register · serial U20606794
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After takeoff, according to radar data, the airplane climbed to 200 feet, then descended to 100 feet. The pilot was advised to turn right to pass behind the approach corridor for a departing airplane. Witnesses observed the airplane flying towards buildings, and stated that the airplane, which was about 50-100 feet above the water, started banking to the right which increased to near a 90-degree angle of bank. The airplane then pitched nose down and impacted the water nose and right wing low, rolled inverted and sank in about 6 feet of water about 20 yards from a seawall. Examination and testing of the right magneto revealed that the point gap was 0.018 inch, which is greater than specified by the manufacturer, and the magneto fired intermittently throughout the entire rpm range. After adjusting the point gap to within limits, the right magneto operated normally. The engine was then run with replacement magnetos installed with their point gaps set as found on the accident magnetos. During the right magneto check, the rpm drop was 156 rpm greater than the left magneto check. Damage was also noted to the #1 cylinder top ignition lead. Examination of the aft bottom section of the right float revealed numerous damaged rivets which join the keel to the bottom skin panel near the aft bulkhead.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,731 hours in all; 465 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 5,226 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,443 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 15, 1996; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: DTF Dry Tortugas FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:40 pm from EYW, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 | 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.