Cessna U206 accident near Eveleth, Minnesota, June 28, 1989
On June 28, 1989 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Cessna U206, registered N9627G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eveleth, Minnesota (Sky Harbor (Spb) airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER FLARE DURING THE WATER LANDING. THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE IN SEAPLANE OPERATIONS AND THE LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 28, 1989 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Eveleth, Minnesota · Sky Harbor (Spb) · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna U206 · all U206s on the register
- Registration
- N9627G · no longer on the register · serial U20601827
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT TOOK THE ACFT FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT TO INCLUDE LANDINGS ON ELY LAKE WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF A FLT INSTRUCTOR. WITNESSES OBSVRD THE ACFT BOUNCE HARD DURING THE FIRST LANDING ATTEMPT. THEY FURTHER OBSERVED THE ACFT SETTLE RIGHT WING AND FLOAT LOW UNTIL IMPACTING THE WATER AGAIN. DURING THE SUBSEQUENT WATER IMPACT THE ACFT NOSED OVER INVERTED. THE PILOT HAD NOT MAINTAINED CURRENCY IN THE ACFT, WITH FLT RECORDS INDICATING NO SIMILAR FLT SINCE AUGUST, 1988. POST-IMPACT INSPECTION OF THE ACFT FAILED TO REVEAL ANY PRE-IMPACT FAILURE/MALFUNCTION.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 24,241 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 32 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,367 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 2, 1989
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 9Y5 Eveleth MN at 2:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 6,500 ft by 500 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 pm from HIB
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.