Cessna T206 N881HP

Summary

On 23 June 2021 at about 06:55 local time, a Cessna T206 registered N881HP, operated by California Highway Patrol, was involved in an accident near Apple Valley, California, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 June 2021 at 06:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Apple Valley, California, United States

Nearest airport

Apple Valley (APV)

Coordinates

34.5709, -117.1904

Aircraft

Cessna T206

Registration

N881HP

Category

Airplane

Year built

2000

Engines

1

Operator

California Highway Patrol

Operating rule

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

WPR21LA240

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's distraction due to adjusting the radio while taxing at night, which resulted in a taxiway excursion and subsequent impact with terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, while taxiing the airplane from the ramp to the runway in nighttime conditions he noted the location of the two sets of taxiway lights that indicate the location of the ramp entrance to taxiway alpha. The pilot then reached down to configure the radio and when he looked back outside to the left, he saw one row of two blue taxiway lights, however he did not see the other set of taxiway lights to the left of the set he initially saw and believed that what he saw was the first row (north side). He immediately applied left rudder input to turn but the airplane suddenly stopped, as the airplane had exited the taxiway ramp and impacted a drainage culvert. The aft section of the fuselage was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.