Cessna 206 N756BW

Summary

On 26 July 2002 at about 18:38 local time, a Cessna 206 registered N756BW, operated by Island Air, was involved in an accident near Old Harbor, Alaska, United States. One person was 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

26 July 2002 at 18:38

Classification

Accident

Location

Old Harbor, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

57.0317, -154.1333

Aircraft

Cessna 206

Registration

N756BW

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Island Air

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Old Harbor → Kodiak

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC02LA084

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain altitude/clearance from terrain during initial climb, which resulted in an in-flight collision with water. A factor associated with the accident was the pilot's diverted attention.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The solo airline transport pilot was departing in a float-equipped airplane on an on-demand air taxi flight. As the airplane climbed through 100 feet above the water, the pilot's attention was temporarily distracted when items from the airplane's map compartment fell onto the floor of the airplane. As he leaned over to the right side of the airplane to recover the items, the airplane descended, and the airplane's floats struck the surface of the water. The airplane bounced into the air, and the pilot continued his climb. A postaccident inspection revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage area near the float attachments. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.