# Incident 20230104000029I: Cessna 208B, Bethel, AK, January 4, 2023

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 4, 2023, 11:19 local time
- Place: Bethel, AK
- Airport: Bethel Airport
- Damage: No damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: ENHA
- Location: 60.7922° N, 161.7558° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Bethel, AK, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.7922&lon=-161.7558&mi=10
- Aircraft: N208SM, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N208SM) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 208B (registry code 2073701, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-208b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A series (registry code 52032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 208B
- Reported engine: P&W PT6A SER
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 3,437 total, 1,900 in this make and model, 2,016 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230104000029I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON JANUARY 4, 2023, ABOUT 0915 LOCAL TIME, THE PIC WAS TAXIING TOWARDS THE RUNWAY AT CHEFORNAK AIRPORT; DESTINED FOR BETHEL.  PRIOR TO TAKEOFF, THE PIC PERFORMED THE AILERON CHECK OUT AND NOTICED A BRIEF OBSTRUCTION.  PIC STATED, WITH NO FURTHER INDICATION OF CONCERN, THE PIC CONTINUED WITH THE INTENDED FLIGHT.  UPON CLIMB OUT AND ESTABLISHED LEVEL FLIGHT, THE PIC NOTICED THAT THE YOKE WAS OFF ABOUT 30 DEGREES FROM STRAIGHT AND LEVEL POSITION.  PIC TESTED FLIGHT CONTROLS DURING FLIGHT AND CONFIRMED THAT HE COULD MAINTAIN FULL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT.  UPON LANDING, THE PIC HAD MAINTENANCE PERFORM A CHECK AND FOUND THAT THE CONTROL ROD CONNECTING TO THE LEFT-HAND AILERON WAS DISCONNECTED.

## Other reports on N208SM (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20140619010189A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140619010189A), Jun 19, 2014: Cessna 208B (N208SM), Egegik, AK, Substantial damage. The pilot in command failed to maintain adequate obstruction clearance from a known object - a steel conex storage container - and struck it with the right…

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.

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