Cessna TU206F accident near Seattle, Washington, February 24, 1985
On February 24, 1985 at about 3:05 am local time, a Cessna TU206F, registered N1539U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Seattle, Washington (Boeing Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- February 24, 1985 · about 3:05 am local time
- Place
- Seattle, Washington · Boeing Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna TU206F · all TU206Fs on the register
- Registration
- N1539U · no longer on the register · serial U20602247
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT LANDED SHORT OF RWY 13R AT BOEING FLD FOLLOWING A LOSS OF PWR DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE ACFT WAS TOPPED OFF FOR A TTL OF 108 GALS OF FUEL BEFORE THIS THIRD LEG OF A X-COUNTRY FLT. THE PLT STATED THAT THE ENG CEASED OPERATING EN ROUTE, HOWEVER, PWR WAS REGAINED WHEN THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS SWITCHED FROM THE RIGHT TO THE LEFT MAIN TANK. WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR AN ILS APCH TO TACOMA ARPT, THE ENG CEASED OPERATING ONCE AGAIN. UPON BREAKING OUT OF THE OVERCAST THE PLT SPOTTED BOEING FLT AND ATTEMPTED THE LANDING THERE. BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT MAIN AN AUX TANKS WERE FOUND EMPTY AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND FUEL STAINS WERE VISIBLE BEHIND THE REFUELING CAPS ON BOTH MAIN TANKS. THE RIGHT MAIN FUEL CAP WAS TESTED AND FOUND TO LEAK SEVERLY. THE LEFT FUEL CAP TESTED NORMAL. AD 84-10-01 WHICH ADDRESSES LEAKAGE AROUND THE FILLER CAPS WAS REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN COMPLIED WITH 2 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE BLADDER IN THE LEFT MAIN TANK WAS FOUND STUCK UP AROUND THE NECK OF THE FILLER OPENING.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,260 hours in all; 238 in this make and model; 52 in the last 90 days; 1,050 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 620 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 21, 1985; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CYPR Prince Rupert at 10:25 pm
- Destination: SEA Seattle WA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 13R, 10,000 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 120° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; not recorded at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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 N1539U 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.