N712AMTextron Aviation T206H · 2017

On August 29, 2024, about 1540 mountain daylight time, a Cessna T206H, N712AM, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Yellow Pine, Idaho. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The flight originated from the airplanes home base of Phoenix Deer Valley Airport (DVT) about 0815, with a planned destination of Johnson Creek Airport (3U2), Yellow Pine, Idaho.

Preliminary ADS-B data indicated that the airplane made intermediate stops at St George Regional Airport (SGU), St George, Utah and Jerome County Airport (JER), Jerome, Idaho.

The airplane departed JER about 1430, and began a climb to the northwest, reaching an altitude of about 12,000 ft, 27 minutes later. At 1507, the airplane made a right turn to the north, while maintain the same altitude. The airplane began to descend at 1526, and the last ADS-B target at 1532 showed it reached an altitude of 9,875 ft, about 11 miles south of 3U2.

3U2 airport was located within a forest canyon, at an elevation of 4,960 ft. It was comprised of a 3,400 ft x 150 ft turf runway. The runway was oriented north-south within a canyon surrounded by steeply rising terrain to the east and west. Due to the surrounding terrain and runway slope, runway 17 was typically used for landing, even during tailwind conditions.

One of the airport caretakers was sitting in an office located about midfield on the east side of the runway. She was looking out of the window facing west and observed an airplane flying right to left just over the runway surface at what she considered to be a high speed. She was surprised because from that location she does not usually see airplanes still in the air.

Another witness, located outside in a similar location, reported that he initially observed the airplane make a downwind approach at an unusually high altitude. He watched as the airplane landed almost midfield. It appeared to be traveling fast with full flaps and touched down in a flat pitch attitude with almost no flare. The airplane then bounced two times while remaining in the same flat pitch attitude as it traveled down the runway. After the second bounce, with about ¼ of the runway length remaining, the nose aggressively dropped, and the airplane landed hard. It did not appear to slow down, and with the runway end approaching he heard the engine speed increase, and it became apparent the pilot was attempting a takeoff.

The airplane then began to climb but with an aggressive nose up attitude such that he could see the full overhead profile of the airplane. From his vantage point it appeared that the pilot was trying to avoid terrain at the end of the runway. The airplane then rolled left and descended behind the trees as the roll continued, and a few seconds later a fireball ensued.

The main wreckage came to rest on a rock strewn slope 1,750 ft south, and 60 ft above the departure end of runway 17 (see figure 1). The area was surrounded by conifer trees reaching heights of up to about 100 ft.

Figure 1 – View of landing approach to runway 17. Wreckage location indicated by arrow. Photo courtesy of Idaho Division of Aeronautics.

The first identified point of impact was at the top of an 85 ft tall tree which contained a section of the outboard right wing and aileron. Two trees located about 20 and 30 ft south had their tops severed while the surrounding taller trees were undamaged.

The right wingtip fuel tank was found on the slope about 140 ft beyond the initial impact. A ground disruption that contained fragments of clear plastic and sheet metal, along with a serrated propeller tip and a landing light assembly, were located about 40 ft downslope and southwest of the tip tank. From there, fragments of sheet metal and cabin continents fanned outwards to the main wreckage, another 30ft downhill.

Most of the airplane was consumed by fire, with charred remnants of the lower fuselage, empennage, and primary structure of both wings remaining. Both flaps along with all primary flight control surfaces were accounted for at the accident site. The flap motor jackscrew extension corresponded to a flap position of between 5° and 10°. The airplane has been recovered to a remote storage facility for further examination.