Cessna 206 accident near Greenville, Maine, May 18, 1986
On May 18, 1986 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 206, registered N60638, was destroyed in an accident near Greenville, Maine (Greenville airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were 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
- May 18, 1986 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Greenville, Maine · Greenville
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 206 · all 206s on the register
- Registration
- N60638 · no longer on the register · serial 20602039
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS ON TAKEOFF FROM MOOSEHEAD LAKE, BUT EVENTUALLY WAS ABLE TO GET AIRBORNE AND FLY TO THE GREENVILLE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT REMAINED ON THE GROUND FOR A FEW HOURS, THEN WAS PREFLIGHTED FOR DEPARAPURE. RUNWAY 21 WAS THE FAVORABLE RUNWAY FOR TAKEOFF. ROTATION AND LIFT-OFF WERE COMMENCED AT 65 KNOTS. THE NOSE WAS LOWERED SLIGHTLY TO GAIN MORE SPEED. HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT CLIMB. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT SETTLED INTO TREES IN A CONTROLLED, FULL STALL ATTITUDE, JUST ABOVE THE GROUND. THE PILOT STATED THAT IT WAS A HOT AND HUMID DAY. THE SINGLE ENG LAND PILOT HAD NOT YET OBTAINED A SEAPLANE RATING.
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: 400 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 180 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,100 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 15, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Bingham ME
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 3,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.