# Accident 19990629007879A: Cessna TU206G, Talkeetna, AK, June 29, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: June 29, 1999, 16:30 local time - Place: Talkeetna, AK - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise - Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135) - Operator: K2IC - Location: 62.4497° N, 149.7905° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=62.4497&lon=-149.7905&mi=10 - Aircraft: N126KT (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: CESSNA TU206G - Reported engine: CONT TSIO520M - People aboard: 5 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 2,763 total, 139 in this make and model, 179 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC99LA083](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA083) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990629007879A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. RUST AIR TAXI CRASHED ON LANDING UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED TO THE PILOT AND 4 PAX, OTHER CIRUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (FROM .19) ON JUNE 29, 1999, ABOUT 1630 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA TU206 AIRPLANE, N126KT, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A FORCED LANDING ABOUT FOUR MILES NORTHWEST OF THE TALKEETNA AIRPORT, TALKEETNA, ALASKA. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND THE FOUR PASSENGERS ABOARD WERE NOT INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED BY K2 ADVENTURES, INC., OF TALKEETNA, UNDER 14 CFR PART 135, AS A LOCAL AIR TOUR FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED TALKEETNA AT 1505. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND A COMPANY VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT TOLD THE NTSB INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE (IIC) DURING A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW ON JUNE 29, THAT THE FLIGHT WAS ABOUT 14 MILES NORTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT WHEN HE NOTICED FUEL FLOW FLUCTUATIONS AND A LOSS OF POWER. HE STATED THAT HE SWITCHED TO THE LEFT FUEL TANK, AND TURNED ON THE ELECTRIC FUEL BOOST PUMP. HE STATED THAT HE KEPT THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP ACTIVATED, ALTERNATELY PLACING THE FUEL BOOST PUMP IN THE "HIGH" POSITION, THEN THE "LOW" POSITIO N. HE DESCRIBED THE ENGINE AS ALTERNATELY RUNNING FOR A FEW SECONDS, AND THEN LOSING POWER. THE PILOT DETERMINED HE WOULD NOT REACH THE AIRPORT, AND THEN SELECTED AN OFF AIRPORT GRAVEL BAR FOR A FORCED LANDING. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE GRAVEL, AND CAME TO REST ON THE RIVER BANK, DAMAGING THE UNDERSIDE OF THE FUSELAGE. THE AIRPLANE WAS AIRLIFTED TO THE TALKEETNA AIRPORT, AND INSPECTED BY A COMPANY MECHANIC AND AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR ON JUNE 30. THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS FOUND SELECTED TO THE LEFT TANK POSITION, THE RIGHT TANK CONTAINED NO FUEL, AND THE LEFT TANK CONTAINED ABOUT 25 GALLONS OF FUEL. THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND OPERATED NORMALLY. THE FUEL BOOST PUMP OPERATED IN BOTH THE "HIGH" AND "LOW" POSITION. NO FUEL LEAKS WERE NOTED WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM PRESSURIZED BY THE ELECTRIC PUMP, WHEN THE ENGINE WAS NOT OPERATING. (-23) AT APPROX. 1600 ON JUNE 29, 1999, CESSNA 206, N126KT, WAS OPERATED FAR PART 135 ON A FLIGHT SEEING TRIP BY K2 ADVENTURES INC. OF TALKEETNA, AK. IT WAS REPORTED BY THE PILOT THAT THERE WAS A LOSS IN FUEL PRESSURE, THE PILOT SWITCHED TO THE LEFT TANK AND TURNED ON THE HIGH AND LOW BOOST PUMP WIT H THROTTLE FULL AND MIXTURE FULL RICH. THE ENGINE FAILED TO RE-START. THE PILOT INITIATED AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING ON A SAND BAR ABOUT 10 MI. NORTHWEST OF TALKEETNA. THERE WERE 5 PASSENGERS ON BOARD WITH NO INJURIES INCURRED. THE AIRCRAFT RECIEVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS AIRLIFTED TO TALKEETNA, WHERE THE ENGINE WAS RUN WITH NO ANOMALIES. (.4) IN CRUISE FLIGHT, ABOUT 2,000 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE PILOT NOTICED FUEL FLOW FLUCTUATIONS, FOLLOWED BY A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS, AND PLACED THE MIXTURE CONTROL TO THE FULL RICH POSITION. THE PILOT KEPT THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP ACTIVATED, ALTERNATELY PLACING THE FUEL BOOST PUMP SWITCH IN THE HIGH POSITION, AND THEN THE LOW POSITION. THE PILOT DESCRIBED THE ENGINE AS ALTERNATELY RUNNING FOR A FEW SECONDS, THEN LOSING POWER. HE DETERMINED THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT REACH THE AIRPORT, SO HE PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING ON AN OFF AIRPORT GRAVEL BAR. POSTACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY, AND THE LEFT FUEL TANK CONTAINED ABOUT 25 GALLONS OF FUEL. THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND OPERATED NORMALLY. THE CESSNA U206 PILOT OPERATING MANUAL STATES: 'TO ENSURE A PROMPT ENGINE RESTART IN-FLIGHT AFTER RUNNING A FUEL TANK DRY, IMMEDIATELY SWITCH TO THE TANK CONTAINING FUEL AT THE FIRST INDICATION OF FUEL PRESSURE FLUCTUATION AND/OR POWER LOSS. THEN PLACE THE RIGHT HALF OF THE AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP SWITCH IN THE ON POSITION MOMENTARILY (3 TO 5 SECONDS) WITH THE THROTTLE AT LEAST 1/2 OPEN. EXCESSIVE USE OF THE ON POSITION AT HIGH ALTITUDE AND FULL RICH MIXTURE CAN CAUSE FLOODING OF THE ENGINE AS INDICATED BY A SHORT (1 TO 2 SECONDS) PERIOD OF POWER FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF POWER. THIS CAN BE DETECTED BY A FUEL FLOW INDICATION ACCOMPANIED BY A LACK OF POWER. IF FLOODING DOES OCCUR, TURN OFF THE AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP SWITCH, AND NORMAL PROPELLER WINDMILLING SHOULD START THE ENGINE IN 1 TO 2 SECONDS.' ## 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 ANC99LA083](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA083), Jun 30, 1999: Cessna TU206 (N126KT), Talkeetna, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot not following emergency procedures, and improper use of the electric fuel boost pump, while attempting to restart the engine in flight. A factor associated with this accident was the… 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.