Cessna U206F accident near Stanley, Idaho, September 14, 2004
On September 14, 2004 at about 1:45 am local time, a Cessna U206F, registered N20GV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stanley, Idaho. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision which resulted in VFR flight into IMC, and his failure to maintain aircraft control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 14, 2004 · about 1:45 am local time
- Place
- Stanley, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna U206F · all U206Fs on the register
- Registration
- N20GV · no longer on the register · serial U20602260
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight of two aircraft departed a private airstrip in an area of mountainous terrain. While en route to their destination, the flight encountered low clouds and fog. The pilot of the accident aircraft radioed to the other pilot that the clouds were "pretty low" in the valley that he was attempting to go through. The other pilot asked the accident pilot if he could turn around. The accident pilot stated that he was too low, followed by that there was fog clear to the ground. Shortly thereafter, communications with the accident pilot were lost. The wreckage was found in an area of mountainous terrain. The wreckage was positioned in an approximate 30 degrees nose down attitude to the terrain with the aft end of the fuselage raised off the ground. The empennage section was folded over to the left side. No evidence of a mechanical failure or malfunction was noted during the post accident examination of the wreckage.
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: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all
- Last flight review: July 16, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,861 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 28, 2004; 90.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Pistol Creek ID at 1:25 am
- Destination: 2U7 Stanley ID
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 1:51 am from SNT, 17 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.