Cessna 206H accident near Mayville, New York, August 25, 2000
On August 25, 2000 at about 10:20 am local time, a Cessna 206H, registered N7269S, was destroyed in an accident near Mayville, New York. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An engine compartment explosion due to a fuel/fuel vapor leak of undetermined origin. A secondary explosion resulted from a lack of lubrication to the number 6 connecting rod bearing. Contributing to the pilot's injuries was his reduced visibility during the forced landing, resulting from a heavy concentration of smoke in the cockpit.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 2000 · about 10:20 am local time
- Place
- Mayville, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 206H · all 206Hs on the register
- Registration
- N7269S · no longer on the register · serial 20608033
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane climbed to 4,000 feet. After level-off, the pilot checked that the gauges were 'in the green,' set the power to 2,400 rpm and 24 inches of manifold pressure, and engaged the autopilot. The engine was running smoothly, with no vibrations. About 35 to 40 seconds later, there was a loud explosion, and blue and yellow flames emanated from both sides of the engine compartment. The pilot turned the airplane towards a field he had seen earlier. During the turn, there was a second explosion. The engine, which had continued to run smoothly after the first explosion, quit. The cabin became engulfed in black smoke, and forward visibility was nil. The pilot then made a forced landing, but due to limited visibility out the side window, the airplane struck trees during the approach, stalled, and hit the ground. Post-accident investigation revealed fire damage to the accessory section of the engine, the firewall, and the interior surface of the left engine cowling. Unburned oil residue was found on the interior surface of the right engine cowling. Oil was also found on the undersides of the fuselage and wings. The oil filler tube, on the right side of the engine, was burned away; however, the majority of the oil dipstick was still in place, in the engine. The interior surface of the left cowling was sooted and scorched. The bottom plate of the engine driven fuel pump was burned away, and the fuel boost pump was sooted. There was a breach in the engine casing, in the vicinity of the number 6 connecting rod. All of the connecting rod ends exhibited heat damage, consistent with a loss of lubrication, with the most severely damaged being the number 6 rod end. The oil pump housing and impellers exhibited light scoring. The main bearings were undamaged. The pilot stated that during his preflight inspection, he checked three times that the oil cap was secure. Additionally, no oil leaks were found on the ramp. Another pilot, with the same airframe/engine configuration as the accident airplane, reported that his oil cap had come loose during flight on several occasions. However, even though it came loose, there was no oil leakage.
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
- Flight time: 3,135 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 255 in the last 90 days; 61 in the last 30 days; 2,960 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 340 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 28, 2000; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,614 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 AC1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Dunkirk Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: DKK Dunkirk NY at 10:10 am
- Destination: GKJ Meadville PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 200° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 am from ERI, 30 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.