# Accident 20150530008709A: Cessna 207, Bethel, AK, May 30, 2015 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 30, 2015, 11:33 local time - Place: Bethel, AK - Airport: Bethel - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Operator: YAAA - Location: 60.3325° N, 161.0544° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.3325&lon=-161.0544&mi=10 - Aircraft: N1653U, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1653U-2017-10-30) (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 MOTOR IO 520 SERIES - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 1 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor - Pilot flight hours: 7,100 total, 215 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC15FA032](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC15FA032) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150530008709A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. N1653U DESCENDED THROUGH A STAND OF TREES ON A HEADING OF APPROXIMATELY NORTH, LEAVING A GROUND SCAR AT THE EDGE OF THE RIVER. THE ENGINE WAS FOUND APPROXIMATELY HALFWAY ACROSS THE RIVER, SUBMERGED, WITH THE PROPELLER ATTACHED. THE AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE WAS FOUND ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE RIVER, SUBMERGED AND WEDGED BY THE CURRENT AGAINST THE VEGETATION OF THE FAR SIDE OF THE RIVER. THE AIRCRAFT MAY HAVE INITIALLY IMPACTED THE TREES RIGHT WING-LOW, AS THE RIGHT WINGTIP WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PIECES OF DEBRIS FOUND ALONG THE FLIGHT PATH. IT APPEARED THE LEFT WING WAS COMPROMISED OR SHEARED OFF DURING THE DESCENT THROUGH THE TREES. PART OF THE LEFT WING SPAR WAS FOUND IN THE VEGETATION TO THE LEFT OF THE FLIGHT PATH. THE TALLEST TREES IMPACTED APPEARED TO BE ABOUT 25-30 FEET TALL. THE LEFT WING WAS NOT VISIBLE AND MAY HAVE BEEN SEPARATED FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. THE LEFT WING MAY HAVE BEEN LOCATED DOWNSTREAM OF THE WRECKAGE, BUT THE DEBRIS COULD NOT BE REACHED TO CONFIRM. ALL OTHER MAJOR STRUCTURES WERE ACCOUNTED FOR. THE RIGHT WING STRUT HAD SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE AT THE LOWER ATTACHMENT, BUT WAS STILL CONNECTED TO THE WING. THE RIGHT WING SHOWED SIGNS OF IMPACTING VEGETATION. TREES ALONG THE FLIGHT PATH WERE SIGNIFICANT/THICK ENOUGH TO SHEAR MAJOR STRUCTURES FROM THE AIRCRAFT. NO CLEAN/SMOOTH CUTS WERE OBSERVED IN THE VEGETATION. AFTER IMPACT WITH THE TREES, IT APPEARED THE FUSELAGE DROPPED AT A STEEP RATE OF DESCENT, CREATING THE GROUND SCAR AT THE WATER'S EDGE. THE AIRCRAFT MAY HAVE IMPACTED THE GROUND INVERTED OR ROLLED SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE LEFT. THERE WAS LITTLE DAMAGE ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE NOSE COWLING AND THE RIGHT MAIN TIRE APPEARED INFLATED. THE TOP OF THE NOSE COWLING WAS FOUND IN THE RIVER JUST PAST THE INITIAL GROUND-IMPACT POINT. THE ENGINE WAS SEPARATED FROM THE ENGINE MOUNTS AND WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY HALFWAY ACROSS THE RIVER. ONE PROPELLER BLADE WAS VISIBLE, THE LAST INCH OR TWO OF THE BLADE WERE MISSING, BUT THE BLADE APPEARED TO BE GENERALLY STRAIGHT. AFTER INITIAL IMPACT, THE AIRCRAFT MAY HAVE TUMBLED. THE REAR FUSELAGE WAS COLLAPSED AND NOT ALIGNED WITH THE FORWARD FUSELAGE. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS COLLAPSED INWARD AND APPEARED TO PIN THE PILOT IN THE AIRCRAFT. THE SHOULDER HARNESS WAS VISIBLE, SECURING THE PILOT'S UPPER TORSO. THE SEAT HARNESS WAS NOT VISIBLE, BUT LIKELY SECURED CORRECTLY BASED ON THE POSITION OF THE PILOT. THE PILOT'S RIGHT HAND WAS VISIBLE AT ONE POINT DURING THE RECOVERY ATTEMPT AND WAS CLENCHED TIGHTLY WITH THE FIRST TWO FINGERS SLIGHTLY MORE EXTENDED, AS ONE MAY HOLD AN AIRCRAFT THROTTLE. RECOVERY PERSONNEL ATTEMPTED TO CUT THE PILOT OUT OF THE WRECKAGE, BUT WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL DURING THE INITIAL WRECKAGE EXAMINATION. THE WRECKAGE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY DAMAGED DURING RECOVERY EFFORTS AND THE RIVER CURRENT. THE ENGINE WAS NOT RECOVERED DURING THE INITIAL WRECKAGE EXAMINATION AND RECOVERY EFFORT. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS ENGINE BREAK-IN. FLIGHT PATH DATA FROM ADS-B INDICATED THE PILOT WAS FLYING SIGNIFICANTLY BETWEEN 100-200' AGL DURING MUCH OF THE FLIGHT WITH SIGNIFICANT PERIODS AT LOWER ALTITUDES. DUE TO THE EXTREME DIFFICULTY IN RECOVERING THE WRECKAGE AND PILOT, FURTHER ANALYSIS WILL BE MADE OF THE RECOVERED WRECKAGE. THIS REPORT WILL BE UPDATED IF FURTHER ANALYSIS MAKES ADDITIONAL OR DIFFERENT DETERMINATIONS. NO MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WERE FOUND WITH THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE INITIAL WRECKAGE EXAMINATION. THE APPARENT CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT IS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO AVOID TERRAIN AND OBSTRUCTIONS WHILE FLYING LOW TO THE GROUND. ## 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 ANC15FA032](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC15FA032), May 30, 2015: Cessna 207 (N1653U), Bethel, AK, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain altitude, which resulted in collision with the terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's impairment from carbon monoxide exposure in flight. The source of… ## Other reports on N1653U (3) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20141129023599I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20141129023599I), Nov 29, 2014: Cessna 207 (N1653U), Bethel, AK, No damage. On November 29, 2014, N1653U departed Bethel for att, kuk, and nup. After departing, leveling off for cruise, setting cruise power, and leaving Bethel… - [Incident 20140227002249I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140227002249I), Feb 27, 2014: Cessna 207 (N1653U), Nightmute, AK, Minor damage. In cruise flight at an altitude below 3000 feet, the engine started to run rough. Completed emergency checklist, mixture full rich, prop and throttle both… - [Incident 20091118051519I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20091118051519I), Nov 18, 2009: Cessna 207 (N1653U), Tuntutuliak, AK, Minor damage. Pilot verified load manifest, fuel, weather clearances, engine oil level, passenger loading, and departed for kipnuk, Alaska. Approximantly 30 minutes into… 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.