Cessna U206G accident near Montezuma, Iowa, November 9, 1988
On November 9, 1988 at about 11:40 pm local time, a Cessna U206G, registered N5359U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Montezuma, Iowa (Sig Field). 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 9, 1988 · about 11:40 pm local time
- Place
- Montezuma, Iowa · Sig Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna U206G · all U206Gs on the register
- Registration
- N5359U · no longer on the register · serial U20605240
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON A VFR CROSS COUNTRY CARGO FLIGHT, THE COMMERCIAL PLT SAID HIS ALTERNATOR FAILED AND THAT WITHIN EIGHT MINUTES HE LOST ELECTRICAL POWER AND WAS UNABLE TO OPERATE THE NAVIGATION INSTRUMENTS. HE CONTINUED TOWARD HIS DESTINATION ABOUT 2 MORE HOURS WHEN WEATHER CONDITIONS DETERIORATED AND DARKNESS ARRIVED. UNSURE OF HIS LOCATION HE SPOTTED RUNWAY LIGHTS BELOW AND SPIRALED DOWN TO LAND ON THE UNCONTROLLED AIRSTRIP. DURING THE DOWNWIND LANDING ATTEMPT ON WET TURF HE WAS UNABLE TO STOP AND COLLIDED WITH A FENCE CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,017 hours in all; 53 in this make and model; 119 in the last 90 days; 51 in the last 30 days; 958 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,845 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 7, 1988; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BKL Cleveland OH at 6:30 pm
- Destination: RAP Rapid City SD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,770 ft by 105 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.