CESSNA U206E near Crane Island, San Juan Is., WA — 2009-01-14

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper application of brakes.

NTSB narrative

The operator's Director of Operations reported that the flight was dispatched from their home base to pickup a waiting passenger for a flight under their 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 operating certificate. Upon arriving over the airstrip, the pilot made a traffic pattern approach and observed that the wind was calm. The pilot stated that his airspeed and approach path were approximately normal and that he was familiar with the airstrip, having landed there in a southerly direction on previous days. The airplane touched down near the beginning of the short, 1,350-foot-long grass runway. The pilot further reported that he used light to firm brake pressure and that the airplane began sliding. He stated that the south portion of the runway (near its departure end) was soggy. He attempted a rapid left turn to avoid encountering the drop-off adjacent to the runway's end. As the airplane turned left, the right wing dipped down, impacted the ground, and broke. The Cessna Aircraft Company's "Landing Distance Table" in the U206 operating handbook provides guidelines for ascertaining the approximate landing distance needed under various conditions. The performance data in the handbook indicated that on a dry grass runway, a distance of at least 897 feet is needed to stop the airplane. The table data does not provide distance information for a "soggy" wet grass runway.

NTSB coding

• Loss of control on ground · Landing-landing roll

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