Cessna 207 N6426H

Summary

On 12 September 2008 at about 23:35 local time, a Cessna 207 registered N6426H, operated by Shannon's Air Taxi, was involved in an accident near Dillingham, Alaska, United States. 7 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

12 September 2008 at 23:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Dillingham, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

59.0447, -158.5056

Aircraft

Cessna 207

Registration

N6426H

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Shannon's Air Taxi

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Dillingham → Ekwok

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC08CA123

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate evaluation of weather and runway conditions, and his improper decision to depart downwind, on a wet gravel runway, resulting in an in-flight collision with terrain after takeoff. Factors contributing to the accident were a tailwind, and an uphill grade of the wet, gravel-covered runway.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot was departing to the west, and uphill, from a private 2,400 foot-long, wet, rough and uneven gravel airstrip, with six passengers and baggage during an on-demand charter flight. In the pilot's written statement to the NTSB, he reported that at the time of the accident the airplane's gross weight was 10 pounds under the maximum gross weight. He wrote that during the takeoff roll, the wind suddenly switched to a tailwind, and the airplane failed to climb after it initially became airborne. He said that the airplane settled into an area of tundra-covered terrain about 100 yards west of the runway threshold, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained structural damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. At the time of the accident the closest weather observation facility, about 2 miles southeast of the accident site, was reporting winds as 090 degrees at 9 knots, with gusts to 15 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.