Cessna T206H accident near Big Bend-Gold Bar, Washington, August 30, 2024
On August 30, 2024 at about 6:27 pm local time, a 2000 Cessna T206H, registered N379ME, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Big Bend-Gold Bar, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 2024 · about 6:27 pm local time
- Place
- Big Bend-Gold Bar, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T206H, built 2000 · all T206Hs on the register
- Registration
- N379ME · no longer on the register · serial T20608229
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the amphibious airplane reported that during the approach to a lake over glassy water, he misjudged the height of the airplane above the water’s surface. He reported that he “had no sense of depth perception” and the airplane impacted the water when he thought it was about 10 ft above the surface. The pilot chose to set the airplane on the water surface to avoid departing with possible damage. However, the airplane handed hard and the float struts collapsed, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Hard landing during landing defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Wheel/ski/float › Capability exceeded
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › (general) › (general) › Effect on personnel
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusion › Visual illusion/disorientation › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,714 hours in all; 59 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,578 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 22, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 800 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Bellevue WA at 5:28 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 am from KAWO, 29 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KAWO 301856Z AUTO VRB04KT 10SM CLR 23/16 A3012 RMK AO2 SLP203 T02280156=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photo 1 – View of damage to fuselage
Photo 2 – View of damage to fuselage
Photo 3 – View of damage to fuselageThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on March 13, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo Array | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.