Cessna 206H accident near Sanford, NC
On December 17, 2003, a Cessna 206H (airplane) was involved in an accident near Sanford, NC. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- December 17, 2003
- Place
- Sanford, NC
- Aircraft
- Cessna 206H · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious, 3 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 35.586°N, 79.104°W
- NTSB ID
- 20031224X02085
Official records · ATL04FA056
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- ATC Transcript of Radio Communications: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On December 17, 2003, at 0502 eastern standard time, a Cessna 206H, N9562L, registered to and operated by the private pilot, collided with trees and the ground during takeoff from Sanford - Lee County Regional Airport, Sanford, North Carolina. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with an instrument flight rules (IFR) plan filed. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed. The private pilot received fatal injuries, the passenger in the right front seat received serious injuries, and the three passengers in the second- and third-row seats received minor injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight departed Sanford, North Carolina, at 0500 on December 17, 2003. A review of air traffic control records revealed the pilot telephoned the Raleigh Cab Coordinator at 0453 and requested and received an IFR clearance for the filed flight plan to Manteo, North Carolina. The flight plan included a proposed departure time of 0500, as well as the pilot's parking reservation number for the Centennial Celebration of Powered Flight event. The passengers stated the weather conditions included fog and mist. One passenger stated she saw the pilot wipe the inside of windshield with a towel, and he wiped it again right before takeoff. Another passenger stated it was "pitch black" outside when the airplane taxied for takeoff. The flight was departing runway 3, and, according to one passenger, the airplane lifted off the runway, climbed to approximately 20 to 30 feet, and began a banking turn to the left. The passenger
Probable cause
The pilot's loss of control of the airplane during takeoff initial climb due to spatial disorientation, which resulted in an inflight collision with trees and the ground. Factors were the dark night, fog, and low ceilings.
More accidents in NC
- Douglas DC-9-31, Jul 2, 1994
- Beech 1900D, Jan 8, 2003
- Pilatus Aircraft Ltd PC-12/47E, Feb 13, 2022
- Cessna 550, Dec 18, 2025
- Beech D55, Jan 9, 1983
Browse: North Carolina · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
