ANC00LA086

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 207 · Kotlik, AK · July 12, 2000

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
July 12, 2000, 13:00 local (21:00 UTC)
Place
Kotlik, AK
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N1549UCessna 207
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report July 2, 2001
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Alaska Regional Office
FAA report
20000712042129A
Case key
50972

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's inadequate flare during landing.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Hard landingLanding - flare/touchdown
Flare - inadequatePilot in commandCause

Analysis

The pilot reported she misjudged the landing, and landed hard in a nose low attitude. She said the nose wheel hit first, then the airplane rocked back and the main wheels and tail cone contacted the runway surface. The pilot indicated there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.

Factual narrative

On July 12, 2000, about 1300 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 207 airplane, N1549U, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing at the New Kotlik Airport, Kotlik, Alaska. The flight was being conducted under Title 14, CFR Part 135 as an on-demand cargo flight, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by Larry's Flying Service, Inc., Fairbanks, Alaska. The solo commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company flight plan was in effect. The flight originated at the Emmonak Airport, Emmonak, Alaska, about 1230.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on July 13, and in her NTSB Pilot/Operator report, the pilot reported she misjudged the landing, and landed hard in a nose low attitude. She said the nose wheel hit first, then the airplane rocked back and the main wheels and tail cone contacted the runway surface. The tail cone and empennage sustained substantial damage. The pilot estimated there was 1,000 pounds of cargo, and the fuel tanks were about 1/2 full. She indicated there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.

Aircraft

Registration
N1549U
Reported as
Cessna 207
Category
Airplane
Serial number
20700149
Airframe hours
19,016
Engine
Continental IO-520F, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Part 135
Operator
Larry'S Flying Service, Inc.
Registered owner
Eric Shade
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · June 20, 2000 · 40 hours before
Departed
ENM · Emmonak, AK
Destination
2A9
Flight plan
Company VFR
Airport
2A9 · New Kotlik Airport, runway 1, 4,400 × 100 ft, gravel

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
24
Certificates
Commercial, Flight instructor
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Flight hours
1,100 total · 170 in this make and model · 1,034 as pilot in command · 180 in the last 90 days · 92 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
350° at 10 knots
Visibility
40 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
75 °F

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.