Cessna U206 accident near Van Nuys, California, November 25, 2012
On November 25, 2012 at about 11:05 pm local time, a 1964 Cessna U206, registered N5229U, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Van Nuys, California (Van Nuys airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A partial loss of engine power during cruise flight due to fatigue fractures of two crankshaft gear teeth from corrosion pitting, which resulted in an off-airport forced landing and collision with obstacles on the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 25, 2012 · about 11:05 pm local time
- Place
- Van Nuys, California · Van Nuys · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna U206, built 1964 · all U206s on the register
- Registration
- N5229U · no longer on the register · serial 206-0229
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the airplane was in cruise flight when the engine started backfiring and he smelled burnt oil; the engine subsequently lost partial power. During the forced landing on a soccer field, the airplane sustained substantial damage when it collided with a fence and trees before coming to rest on its left side. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the engine crankshaft would not rotate. A borescope inspection revealed that a valve in the No. 2 cylinder was in contact with a piston face. All of the piston heads exhibited semicircular indentations near the location of the valves. Upon disassembly, six gear teeth on the crankshaft gear were found fractured, and all of the teeth on the camshaft gear were found ground off. A metallurgical examination of the separated crankshaft gear teeth revealed that two of the fracture surfaces exhibited fatigue with areas of corrosion pitting and that the other fracture surfaces exhibited evidence of overload.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing (landing roll)
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip engine power section › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip engine power section › Failure
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Effect on equipment
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,477 hours in all; 294 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 63 as pilot in command; 63 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 9, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,525 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 4, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors Inc IO-520-A 32B (piston); 1,538 hours total
- Operator: Clipper 29 Uniform LLC
The flight
- Departed from: DVO Novato CA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: SNA Santa Ana CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 pm from KVNY, 3 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.