Cessna T206H accident near Stanwood, Washington, January 22, 2011
On January 22, 2011 at about 9:57 pm local time, a Cessna T206H, registered N142HF, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Stanwood, Washington (Lake Goodwin airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot did not confirm retraction of the landing gear before landing on water as a result of distraction. Contributing to the accident was the pilot coping with the death of a close family member in the days before the accident, which resulted in a self-reported disruption in the quality of sleep.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 22, 2011 · about 9:57 pm local time
- Place
- Stanwood, Washington · Lake Goodwin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T206H · all T206Hs on the register
- Registration
- N142HF · no longer on the register · serial T20608142
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he was part of a flight of three amphibious float-equipped airplanes flying to a nearby lake after departure from a land-based airport. The pilot reported that this was his first time landing on the lake and that he was in trail behind the other two airplanes. The other two airplanes landed successfully, and as he approached the lake for a landing between the wakes made by the other airplanes, his son distracted him and he forgot to retract the landing gear for the water landing. He said that during touchdown, the nose of the airplane dipped. When he reached to retract the flaps and applied back pressure, the airplane nosed over, became submerged and subsequently filled with water. During a follow-up interview with the pilot, he reported that he does use a checklist, but could not recall raising the landing gear, verifying its position prior to landing or hearing the audible landing gear position-warning alert. Postaccident examination of the recovered airplane revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that 12 days prior to the accident flight, he had suffered a loss of a close family member. The pilot stated that after the accident, he realized that coping with this loss affected his ability to focus his attention and degraded the quality of his sleep in the days before the event. The pilot further stated that it had been more clear to him post accident, as his "sleep deprivation had become very obvious." With the pilot's attention focused on the two aircraft previously landing on the lake and engaged conversation with his passenger, it is likely that the pilot's attention was diverted from verifying the landing gear position prior to the water landing. In addition, the pilot’s loss of a close family member in the days before the accident likely degraded his performance.
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
What happened, in order
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Configuration › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Incorrect use/operation
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Mental/emotional state › (general) › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Physical › Alertness/Fatigue › (general) › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Attention › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,213 hours in all; 4 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: November 2, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 716 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 17, 2010; 140 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royce 250-B17 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AWO Arlington WA at 9:50 pm
- Destination: Anacortes WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.38 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from AWO, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.