# NTSB ANC02LA016: Cessna 208B, N454SF, Tununak, AK, February 24, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 24, 2002, 18:30 local (22:30 UTC) - Place: Tununak, AK - Coordinates: 60.575553, -165.273056 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.5756&lon=-165.2731&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 4, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Fairbanks FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 54285 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC02LA016 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54285/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54285 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC02LA016 ## Probable cause The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing. Factors associated with the accident are snow drifts across the runway, and excessive braking during the rearward roll. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, taxi - from landing - unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - selected, pilot in command (cause) - terrain condition - snow covered (contributing factor) - brakes(normal) - excessive, pilot in command (contributing factor) ## Analysis During the landing roll, the pilot braked to a stop with the nose wheel atop a snow drift. The pilot released the brakes and the airplane rolled backward. When the pilot reapplied the brakes the aircraft rocked rearward, pivoting on the main landing gear, and the tail struck the ground, damaging two fuselage bulkheads. ## Factual narrative On February 24, 2002, about 1830 Alaska standard time, a wheel-equipped Cessna 208B airplane, N454SF, sustained substantial damage during taxi, after landing at the Tununak Airport, Tununak, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cargo flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by Grant Aviation, Inc. of Anchorage, Alaska. The solo certificated airline transport pilot was not injured. The flight originated at the Bethel Airport, Bethel, Alaska, about 1750. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on February 25, the director of operations for the operator reported that while en route to the Tununak airport the pilot had received a pilot report, stating that only half of the length of the 2,010 foot runway was plowed. When the pilot braked to a stop on the runway, the nose wheel of the airplane stopped on a snowdrift crossing the runway. When he released the brakes, the airplane started to roll backward off the snowdrift. When he reapplied the brakes to stop the roll, the airplane rocked rearward, pivoting on the main landing gear, and the tail struck the snow-covered ground. The pilot inspected the airplane and found that the tail tie down ring and the aft fuselage bulkhead were damaged. During a telephone conversation with the IIC on March 4, the director of maintenance reported that the two furthest-aft fuselage bulkheads (Station 474.4 and 475.88), and the tail tie down ring and doublers, were replaced due to the damage received in the accident. He said the airplane had no known mechanical problems or damage prior to the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N454SF](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N454SF), registered now, S/N 208B-0797, built 1999 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 208B - Registry model: [Cessna 208B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-208b) (registry code 2073701) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney PT6A series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-series) (registry code 52032, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 208B0797 - Airframe hours: 2499.5 - Engines: P&W Canada PT6A-114A 675 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: Grant Aviation, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, January 3, 2002, 95.8 hours before - Departed: PABE, Bethel, AK - Destination: 4KA, Tununak, AK - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: 4KA, Tununak, runway 08, 2,010 × 40 ft, gravel ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 30; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review February 24, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 4,136 total, 1,537 in this make and model, 4,070 as pilot in command, 103 in the last 90 days, 69 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 130° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,000 ft overcast ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20020224015219A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020224015219A), Feb 24, 2002: Cessna 208B, Tununak, AK, No damage. (-23) The taxi ways could not be plowed causing the pilot to taxi the aircraft onto a snow berm at west edge of the runway, coming to a complete stop, the… ## Other investigations on N454SF (3) 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 ANC20LA020](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC20LA020), Feb 5, 2020: Cessna 208 (N454SF), Hooper Bay, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to depart from a contaminated runway, and his failure to make a timely decision to abort the takeoff when the airplane was not accelerating as expected. Contributing to the… - [NTSB ANC08LA031](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC08LA031), Jan 15, 2008: Cessna 208B (N454SF), Bethel, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing. Contributing to the accident were snow-covered terrain, blowing snow and flat lighting conditions. - [NTSB ANC06CA011](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC06CA011), Dec 13, 2005: Cessna 208B (N454SF), Newtok, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate compensation for gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in the airplane exiting the runway, encountering snow, and the nose gear collapsing. Factors associated with the… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 15, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54285. 426 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 426 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40389590&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF 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. --- 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.