# Accident 19980910028159A: Cessna 207A, Utopia Creek, AK, September 10, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: September 10, 1998, 15:10 local time - Place: Utopia Creek, AK - Airport: Indian Mountain Afs - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown - Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135) - Operator: WVBA - Location: 66.0492° N, 154.2390° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=66.0492&lon=-154.2390&mi=10 - Aircraft: N7380U, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7380U-2018-08-27) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 207A (registry code 2073604, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-207a) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 207A - Reported engine: CONT IO520F - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 6,530 total, 2,399 in this make and model, 120 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC98LA150](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA150) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980910028159A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) APPROACH MADE TO RUNWAY 24, RUNWAY GRADIENT IS 7.1% UP, WIND WAS 17 KTS GUSTING TO 23 KTS., AND BLOWING STRAIGHT DOWN THE RUNWAY FROM THE APPROACH END. (TAILWIND). THE PILOT SAID HE ADDED 23 KTS TO AIRCRAFT AIRSPEED TO COMPENSATE FOR WIND GUSTS FOR LANDING. LIGHT TURULANCE AND +/- 5 KTS VARIANCE WAS NOTED ON THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR. AT AN ESTIMATED 3 FT. AGL A SUDDENT GUST OR WINDSHEAR CAUSED A LOSS OF LIFT AND A VERY HARD LANDING. THE FUSELAGE TAIL HIT RUNWAY. DAMAGED REAR BULKHEAD. (.4) THE CERTIFICATED AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT WAS LANDING IN AN UPHILL DIRECTION AT A REMOTE AIRPORT AS PART OF AN ON-DEMAND AIR TAXI FLIGHT. THE RUNWAY WAS 4,100 FEET LONG, AND 120 FEET WIDE, WITH AN UPHILL GRADIENT OF 7.1 PERCENT. FOR THE RUNWAY SELECTED BY THE PILOT, A TAIL WIND OF 20 KNOTS, WITH GUSTS TO 24 KNOTS, WAS PRESENT. DURING THE LANDING FLARE, ABOUT 3 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY, THE PILOT SAID HE ENCOUNTERED A GUST OF WIND, OR WIND SHEAR. THE AIRPLANE STALLED, AND CONTACTED THE RUNWAY HARD ON THE MAIN LANDING GEAR. AFTER LANDING, THE PILOT REPORTED HE INSPECTED THE AIRPLANE FOR DAMAGE BUT DID NOT NOTICE ANY. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE PILOT NOTICED THE AFT TIE-DOWN RING, AND TAIL S KID, LOCATED ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TAIL CONE, WAS BROKEN OFF THE AIRPLANE. IN ADDITION, THE AIRPLANE RECEIVED DAMAGE TO THE AFT EMPENNAGE BULKHEAD, AND ADJACENT FUSELAGE STRUCTURE. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ANC98LA150](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA150), Sep 10, 1998: Cessna 207A (N7380U), Hughes, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions, and an inadvertent stall. A factor in the accident was the presence of a tail wind. ## Other reports on N7380U (4) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20080818845402A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080818845402A), Aug 18, 2008: Cessna 207A (N7380U), Bethel, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) The iic's investigation revealed that [privacy data omitted], the pilot in command of N7380U, was not in motion and had the right of way, when he was run… - [Accident 20080207012209A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080207012209A), Feb 7, 2008: Cessna 207A (N7380U), Chefornak, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) The pilot on landing at Chefornak runway 34 drifted to the left side of the runway, catching the left main gear in the snow berm. This caused the… - [Incident 20000817025929I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000817025929I), Aug 17, 2000: Cessna 207A (N7380U), Stevens Village, AK, Minor damage. (-23)Incident #A1012000023 pilot unloaded freight on Village agents vehicle. When pilot was loading passenger, the agent unloaded one heavy box in front of… - [Incident 19900608040159I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900608040159I), Jun 8, 1990: Cessna 207 (N7380U), Ruby, AK, Minor damage. Pilot landed uphill with tailwind on silt runway. Nose wheel hit ditch and fork sheared off strut assembly. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.