Accident Overview
A Cessna 206 was operating on a shallow cruise descent when the engine lost power while flying over a residential area. An onboard witness reported that the pilot was able to restart the engine twice; after each restart, the engine ran for a few seconds and then quit again.
Forced Landing and Impact
During the subsequent forced landing, the airplane struck trees. The impact caused the engine, firewall, and instrument panel to separate from the remainder of the airframe. Several passengers sustained burns. The fuel lines separated, but the remainder of the fuel system remained intact.
Fuel and Engine Examination
Fuel was found in both wing tanks and in all fuel lines forward of the firewall. The engine was later placed in a test cell and performed satisfactorily, showing no anomalies.
Meteorological and Flight Data
The day was warm with an outside air temperature of about 90°F and a dewpoint of 52°F. Radar data indicated that the airspeed was constant at approximately 125 knots during the descent. As the airplane descended through 1,500 feet, the airspeed decreased to a low of about 63 knots. Just prior to the loss of radar contact, the airspeed had increased back to about 100 knots.