Cessna 206 accident near Duanesburg, New York, July 31, 1985
On July 31, 1985, a Cessna 206, registered N5197U, was destroyed in an accident near Duanesburg, New York (Duanesburg airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- July 31, 1985
- Place
- Duanesburg, New York · Duanesburg · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 206 · all 206s on the register
- Registration
- N5197U · no longer on the register · serial 206-0197
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDIDNG TO THE PILOT, HE WAS MAKING A LOW PASS OVER DUANESBURG AIRPORT TO OBSERVE THE AREA BEFORE LANDING. WHILE OVER THE AIRPORT, THE ENGINE QUIT AND HE HAD TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON ROUTE 20. THE PASS WAS MADE AT ABOUT 300 TO 400 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES AT AND NEAR THE DUANESBURG AIRPORT, THEY SAW AN AIRCRAFT MAKE A PASS OVER THE AIRPORT AT A VERY LOW ALTITUDE AND FAST SPEED. THE ENGINE WAS DESCRIBED AS BEING WIDE OPEN. THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A STEEP CLIMB AND A LEFT TURN PRIOR TO DESCENDING QUICKLY OUT OF SIGHT.
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
- Flight time: 500 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 99 in the last 90 days; 430 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO 520 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NY77 Delanson NY
- Destination: 4B1 Duanesburg NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
Other NTSB records under N5197U the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.