Cessna P206 accident near Cleveland, Ohio, January 23, 1991
On January 23, 1991 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Cessna P206, registered N4626F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cleveland, Ohio (Cleveland-Hopkins Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE NUMBER TWO PROPELLER BLADE ACTUATING PIN, DUE TO IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE PINS AND NON-COMPLIANCE WITH AN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE (AD 77-13-77).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 23, 1991 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Cleveland, Ohio · Cleveland-Hopkins Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P206 · all P206s on the register
- Registration
- N4626F · registry record · serial P206-0226
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT APRX 1200' MSL, WHILE ON FINAL APCH TO RWY 23R, THE PLT & PSGR NOTED A 'DIFFERENT' SOUND FM THE PROP/ENG. THERE WAS A LOSS OF THRUST FM THE ENG. ALSO, A ROUGH OR OUT-OF-BALANCE COND WAS NOTED. THE PLT STATED HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINT ALT & WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN EMERG LNDG ABOUT 3/4 MI SHORT OF THE RWY. DRG THE LNDG, THE ACFT ENCTRD SOFT/UNEVEN TRRN & NOSED DOWN. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS FND WITH THE ENG. A POST-ACDNT EXAM REVEALED THAT ALL 3 PROP BLADES WERE FREE TO ROTATE 360 DEG IN THEIR HUBS. FATIGUE FRACTURES WERE FND ON 2 OF THE 3 PROP BLADE ACTUATING PINS; FATIGUE STRIATIONS WERE FND ON 90 TO 95 PERCENT OF THE #2 PROP ACTUATING PIN & ABOUT 60 PERCENT ON THE #1 PROP PIN (B-3491 PINS). NEITHER OF THESE PINS HAD BEEN REWORKED TO SHORTEN THE THREADED END IAW AD 77-13-17, WHICH REFERENCED MCCAULEY SERVICE BULLETIN #99. DRG INSTLN, THE PINS HAD 'BOTTOMED OUT' IN THEIR RESPECTIVE TAPPED HOLES, WHICH PREVENTED PROPER SEATING. THE #3 PROP BLADE ACTUATING PIN WAS A CORRECT PIN (B-4460) & IT HAD NO PREIMPACT CRACK OR FAILURE.
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: 700 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HGR Hagerstown MD at 2:10 pm
- Destination: CLE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23R, 7,095 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 16°F (-9°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 N4626F 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.