Cessna U206 N8070Z

Summary

On 9 September 2018 at about 07:53 local time, a Cessna U206 registered N8070Z was involved in an accident near Willow, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 September 2018 at 07:53

Classification

Accident

Location

Willow, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Willow (UUO)

Coordinates

61.7814, -150.0433

Aircraft

Cessna U206

Registration

N8070Z

Category

Airplane

Year built

1965

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Willow → Willow

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

ANC18TA070

2 people were seriously injured.

The pilot receiving instruction's failure to maintain control during a night landing pattern crosswind turn due to spatial disorientation and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision and delayed remedial action, which resulted in impact with terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A flight instructor and a private pilot receiving instruction departed on a night training flight. The pilot had recently obtained her private pilot certificate without night training time under a regulatory exception for Alaska pilots. The accident flight was her first night flight. After performing one night landing and takeoff at the accident airport, the pilot receiving instruction performed a right turn to the crosswind leg at pattern altitude. The instructor, who was in the right seat, then exclaimed "what is up with your attitude?" The instructor took control of the airplane after he realized that the airplane was descending and the pilot receiving instruction was disoriented; however, the airplane impacted terrain shortly after. Both pilots stated that it was a dark, moonless night with no visible horizon in the vicinity of the remote airport. The pilot receiving instruction reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.