# Accident 19991027041879A: Cessna 207, Bethel, AK, October 27, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: October 27, 1999, 13:42 local time - Place: Bethel, AK - Airport: Bethel Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing) - Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135) - Operator: EPUA - Location: 60.8101° N, 161.8506° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.8101&lon=-161.8506&mi=10 - Aircraft: N207SE, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N207SE-2009-01-16) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 207 (registry code 2073602, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-207) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 207 - Reported engine: CONT IO520F - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 1,300 total, 100 in this make and model - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC00LA008](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC00LA008) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991027041879A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.4)THE COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATED PILOT ARRIVED AT HIS COMPANY OFFICES AND CONDUCTED A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE AT 0815 IN PREPARATION FOR A VFR SCHEDULED DOMESTIC PASSENGER FLIGHT TO A REMOTE VILLAGE. THE FLIGHT WAS DELAYED DUE TO POOR WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT INCLUDED VISIBILITIES BETWEEN 1/2 TO 3/4 MILE IN MIST AND FREEZING FOG. THE CEILING VARIED BETWEEN 100 FEET, TO 1,100 FEET. DURING THE DELAY, TWO COMPANY REPRESENTATIVES WERE IN THE DISPATCH OFFICE. WHEN THE WEATHER CONDITIONS IMPROVED TO 500 FEET BROKEN, AND A VISIBILITY OF 4 MILES IN PATCHY FOG, THE PILOT DEPARTED AT 1309 WITH A SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE. THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED WORSENING WEATHER ABOUT 4 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT, AND DECIDED TO RETURN. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED IN THE CLASS E AIRSPACE AROUND THE AIRPORT, AND THE PILOT HAD TO HOLD, OUT OF THE SURFACE AREA AWAITING A SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE. ONCE CLEARED INTO THE SURFACE AREA, THE PILOT SAID HE COULD NOT SEE THE RUNWAY BECAUSE THE WINDSHIELD OF THE AIRPLANE WAS ICED OVER. HE COULD SEE HANGARS OUT THE SIDE WINDOW. THE PILOT DECIDED TO PROCEED TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST AND BEGAN A LEFT TURN, BUT SAID THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUG H AND LOST POWER. THE PILOT SAID THAT APPLICATION OF FULL POWER WAS UNABLE TO PREVENT THE AIRPLANE FROM LOSING ALTITUDE. HE LOWERED THE FLAPS IN PERPARATION FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING,AND THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ON SNOW-COVERED TERRAIN. DURING THE LANDING, THE NOSE GEAR WAS SHEARED OFF, AND THE RIGHT WING RECEIVED RIB DAMAGE TO THE OUTBOARD END. AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE, AN FAA INSPECTOR NOTED ABOUT 1/8 INCH OF ICE ON THE AIRPLANE . THREE MINUTES BRFORE THE ACCIDENT, THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE AIRPORT INCLUDED A VISIBILITY OF FOUR MILES IN LIGHT SNOW AND PATCHY FOG; SKY CONDITION, 100 FEET SCATTERED, 400 FEET OVERCAST, WITH OCCASIONAL LOCALIZED LOWER VISIBILITY, AND THE CEILING VARYIED BETWEEN 300 TO 600 FEET. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AFTER THE ACCIDENT DID NOT REVEAL ANY PREIMAPCT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE ENGINE PRODUCED 2,750 RPM ON AN ENGINE TEST STAND. (-23) ON 10/27/99, ERIC MOSS WAS PILOT IN COMMAND OF CESSNA, N207SE, A CESSNA 207, THAT DEPARTED THE BETHEL ALASKA AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 13:07 LOCAL TIME. APPROXIMATELY 4 MILES NORTHEAST OF BETHEL, HE ENCOUNTERED DETERIORATING WEATHER AND ICING CONDITIONS AND TURNED TO RETURN TO BETHEL. HE NEVER SAW THE RUNWAY AND DEPARTED TOWARDS THE 135 DEGREE RADIAL OF THE BET VOR TOWARDS NAPAKIAK TOWARDS BETTER WEATHER WHEN HE EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE THAT QUIT. HE LANDED ON THE TUNDRA WITH NO INJURIES TO HIMSELF OR HIS PASSENGERS. ## 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 ANC00LA008](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC00LA008), Oct 27, 1999: Cessna 207 (N207SE), Bethel, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate evaluation of the weather, and his decision to initiate flight into adverse weather conditions. Factors in the accident were adverse weather consisting of low ceilings and… ## Other reports on N207SE (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20030405009309A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030405009309A), Apr 5, 2003: Cessna 207 (N207SE), Aniak, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) During cruise flight, pilot adjusted engine from 25 squared to 25.4 squared. After engine adjustment, engine oil pressure rose from 50 PSI to top of… - [Incident 19880408045569I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19880408045569I), Apr 8, 1988: Cessna 207 (N207SE), Scammon Bay, AK, Minor damage. Engine began to vibrate on approach and seized. Landed in snow covered area. Stopped when nose gear fork pulled out. 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.