6 Aug 2012: CESSNA 208 — Skydive San Diego

6 Aug 2012: CESSNA 208 — Skydive San Diego

No fatalities • Chula Vista, CA, United States

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to arrest the aircraft's sink rate on short final, which resulted in a hard landing.

— NTSB Determination

Accident narrative

The pilot said that while on short final, the airplane experienced a sudden sink rate when the wind went from a head wind to calm conditions. He was unable to arrest the sink rate even after power was applied because of the lag time for the airplane’s turbine engine to spool up. The airplane landed hard, short of the runway. After taxiing to the ramp, examination of the airplane revealed that the left side of the fuselage was dented and wrinkled, and the left main gear was found bent inboard of the axle and its brake assembly was missing.

Contributing factors

  • cause Descent rate — Not attained/maintained
  • cause Pilot

Conditions

Weather
VMC, wind 000/05kt, vis 7sm

Related events

Same aircraft

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  • 27 Apr 2026 — CESSNA 208 (—)
  • 10 Apr 2026 — Cessna 208B Grand Caravan (Air Services Limited - ASL)
  • 10 Apr 2026 — CESSNA 208 B (—)
  • 13 Mar 2026 — CESSNA 208 B (Castle Aviation)

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