Cessna C206 accident near West Dover, Vermont, October 6, 1985
On October 6, 1985 at about 2:15 pm local time, a Cessna C206, registered N9861Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Dover, Vermont (Mt. Snow airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- October 6, 1985 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- West Dover, Vermont · Mt. Snow
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna C206
- Registration
- N9861Z · registry record · serial 6708
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
CESSNA AIRCRAFT, N9861Z OVERRAN RUNWAY 1, AT WEST DOVER, VERMONT AND LANDED ON A GOLF COURSE. THE PILOT STATED THAT WHEN THE FLIGHT WAS ABOUT 50 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY AND ABOUT 100 FT DOWN THE RUNWAY WINDSHEAR WAS ENCOUNTERED, PULLING THE AIRCRAFT TO THE LEFT SIDE. A GO AROUND COULD NOT BE ACCOMPLISHED SO THE LANDING WAS MADE ON THE GOLF COURSE, 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 4,154 hours in all; 104 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 1,433 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 167 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 25, 1985; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Caldwell NJ at 1:00 pm
- Destination: 4V8 West Dover VT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 2,650 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 15 knots, gusting 29
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 35,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:15 pm from ALB, 43 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.