Cessna TU206G accident near Burns, Oregon, July 29, 1998
On July 29, 1998 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Cessna TU206G, registered N756YC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Burns, Oregon. It was a public-use flight under public-use (government) rules. 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Fatigue failure of the crankshaft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 1998 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Burns, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna TU206G · all TU206Gs on the register
- Registration
- N756YC · registry record · serial U20604454
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during cruise flight, the engine suddenly lost power. He attempted a restart without success. During the forced landing to a road in a canyon, the airplane suddenly lost altitude and touched down hard in sage brush short of the road. During the landing roll, the airplane collided with a barbed wire fence which turned the aircraft perpendicular to the road. After the airplane was recovered, the engine was examined. During the examination, it was found that the crankshaft had failed. The crankshaft was inspected by a metallurgist who reported that the crankshaft was broken through the crankcheek between the number two main bearing journal and the number two connecting rod journal. The metallurgist stated that 'the features over the major portion of the fracture were typical of fatigue cracking that initiated from the aft radius of the number 2 main bearing journal and propagated through more than 90 percent of the crankcheek before final separation.' The metallurgist reported that evidence of fretting was noted on the parting line faces between the connecting rod arm and cap. The joint between the two components could have been loose and may have created spinning of the bearing inserts.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,150 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,544 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 19, 1998; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-M7B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S49 Vale OR at 5:17 pm
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from BNO, 33 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.