What happened
On September 19, 2024, at approximately 0819 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna U206G, registration N6522Z, was involved in an accident near West Sacramento, California. The aircraft was operating under Part 91 as a work flight, traveling from Sacramento Mather Airport (MHR) to Watts-Woodland Airport (O41).
About 10 minutes into the flight, while at 3,000 feet MSL, the engine suffered an abrupt decrease in power accompanied by significant vibration. The pilot observed that the cylinder head temperature for cylinder number 4 was no longer appearing on the engine data management display, and the remaining cylinders were cooling rapidly. Following the power loss, the indicated airspeed dropped from 120 knots to 85 knots, and the pilot could not maintain altitude. During the event, the pilot cycled the throttle from full power to idle and back to full power, noting that the shaking fluctuated with these movements. The propeller continued to windmill.
After declaring an emergency to the Northern California Terminal Radar Approach Control, the pilot identified an open field approximately 2.5 miles northwest of Sacramento Executive Airport (SAC) and initiated a forced landing. During the landing roll, the aircraft nosed over and came to rest in an inverted position. The pilot sustained one minor injury and was not killed.
The investigation
Post-accident examination of N6522Z showed that the fuselage, both wings, the vertical stabilizer, and the rudder all sustained substantial damage. The wreckage was moved to a secure facility for further study.