# Accident 19981026040069A: Cessna 207A, Aniak, AK, October 26, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: October 26, 1998, 17:35 local time - Place: Aniak, AK - Airport: Aniak - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise - Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135) - Operator: ACSA - Location: 61.1991° N, 158.5998° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.1991&lon=-158.5998&mi=10 - Aircraft: N73533, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N73533-2007-06-26) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 207A (registry code 2073605, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-207a) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental IO-520-F (registry code 17237, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-f) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 207A - Reported engine: CONT IO520F - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 5,200 total, 3,500 in this make and model, 98 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC99LA009](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA009) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981026040069A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19)ON OCTOBER 26, 1998, ABOUT 1750 ALASKA STANDARD TIME, A WHEEL EQUIPPED CESSNA 207A AIRPLANE, N73533, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A FORCED LANDING, ABOUT 3 MILES WEST OF ANIAK, ALASKA. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) ON-DEMAND PASSENGER FLIGHT UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 135 WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY ARCTIC CIRCLE AIR INC., ANCHORAGE, ALASKA. THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT, AND THE TWO PASSENGERS, RECEIVED MINOR INJUIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. VFR COMPANY FLIGHT FOLLOWING PROCEDURES WERE IN EFFECT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE ANIAK AIRPORT, ABOUT 1745. THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATION FOR THE OPERATOR REPORTED THE FLIGHT WAS A CHARTER FLIGHT TO KALSKAG, ALASKA, WHICH IS LOCATED ABOUT 22 MILES WEST OF ANIAK. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT CLIMBED TO ABOUT 1,000 FEET MSL. THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SPUTTER, AND THE PILOT SWITCHED FUEL TANKS. THE ENGINE ROUGHNESS IMPROVED MOMENTARILY, BUT THE ENGINE THEN QUIT. THE PILOT SELECTED A FORCED LANDING AREA ON SNOW COVERED TERRAIN. THE AIRPLANE RECEIVED DAMAGE TO THE LANDING GEAR AND FUSELAGE. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE IS PENDING. (.4) THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS DEPARTED A REMOTE AIRPORT ON AN AIR TAXI FLIGHT. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT CLIMBED THE AIRPLANE TO ABOUT 1,000 FEET MSL. THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. EMERGENCY ENGINE PROCEDURES DID NOT REMEDY THE ROUGHNESS. THE AIRPLANE BEGAN LOSING ALTITUDE, AND THE PILOT SELECTED A FORCED LANDING AREA IN A SLOUGH. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES, AND RECEIVED DAMAGE TO THE WINGS, FUSELAGE, AND EMPENNAGE. A SAMPLE OF FUEL FROM THE LEFT RESERVOIR TANK WAS MURKY AND SILTY, AND CONTAINED A SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER. LABORATORY ANALYSIS OF THE FUEL SAMPLE REVEALED THE FUEL MET THE STANDARDS FOR AVIATION FUEL. CONTAMINATION IN THE FUEL SAMPLE CONSISTED OF SILT AND DUST, MICROSCOPIC FIBERS, AND PAINT CHIPS. AFTER RECOVERY, EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE DID NOT FIND ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE ENGINE PRODUCED FULL POWER ON A TEST STAND. (ACTUAL AIRFRAME HOURS: 106127) (-23) ON OCTOBER 12, 1998, AT ABOUT 2100 ADT, ARTIC CIRCLE AIR SERVICE AIRCRAFT N73533, PILOTED BY JAMES G. ROBINETT JR., CERTIFICATE #491440503, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE PILOT REPORTED AN ENGINE FAILURE AFTER DEPARTURE FROM THE ANIAK, AK AIRPORT. THE PILOT SWITCHED TANKS TO THE RIGHT MAIN AND TURNED THE FUEL BOOST PUMP ON. ENGINE RAN BRIEFLY THEN FAILED. AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO TREES 3 MILES SW OF ANIAK, AK. PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS REPORTED MINOR INJURIES. ## 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 ANC99LA009](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA009), Oct 26, 1998: Cessna 207A (N73533), Aniak, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of engine power due to fuel contamination. A factor in the accident was unsuitable terrain for a forced landing. ## Other reports on N73533 (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19841201072309I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19841201072309I), Dec 1, 1984: Cessna 207A (N73533), Scottsdale, AZ, Minor damage. While deadheading to base rear cargo door came open. 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.