# NTSB ANC02LA128: Cessna 207, N207DG, Circle, AK, September 15, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 15, 2002, 15:15 local (23:15 UTC) - Place: Circle, AK - Coordinates: 65.830558, -144.075836 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=65.8306&lon=-144.0758&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 25, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA-AL-FAI FSDO 01 - NTSB case key (mKey): 55847 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC02LA128 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55847/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC02LA128 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate wind evaluation during takeoff resulting in a downwind takeoff and subsequent overrun during an aborted takeoff. Factors in the accident were a tailwind and the pilot's failure to verify the selected flap setting. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Overrun, takeoff - aborted - weather evaluation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - lowering of flaps - not verified, pilot in command (contributing factor) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, takeoff - aborted - terrain condition - muskeg - Nose gear collapsed, takeoff - aborted ## Analysis The commercial certificated pilot was departing runway 15 at an airport with a gravel surface runway that is 3,000 feet long by 60 feet wide. About 1,800 feet after beginning the takeoff run, about 65 knots indicated airspeed, the pilot raised the nose for lift-off, but the airplane did not become airborne. He then aborted the takeoff, and applied the brakes, but the airplane went off the end of the runway into an area of marshy tussock grass. The nose gear strut collapsed, and the airplane came to rest about 75 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. Following the accident, the pilot reported that as he left the airplane to call his company operations, he noticed the wind was favoring runway 33. When he returned to the airplane, he reported the wind was again favoring runway 15. The pilot also indicated that prior to takeoff, he selected 10 degrees of flaps. Following the accident, he noticed the flaps were only deployed to about 3 or 4 degrees of travel, even though the flap indicator was still set at 10 degrees. The pilot said he moved the flap lever several times up and down, but was only able to achieve 10 degrees of flap deployment by moving the flap lever to a 20 degree setting, before selecting a 10 degree setting. In the pilot's written report to the NTSB, he noted the airplane did not have any mechanical malfunction. In the safety recommendation portion of the report, the pilot noted that he could have visually verified the flap setting before takeoff. ## Factual narrative On September 15, 2002, about 1515 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 207 airplane, N207DG, sustained substantial damage when the airplane went off the end of the runway during an aborted takeoff at the Circle City Airport, Circle, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country on-demand passenger flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by 40 Mile Air LTD., Tok, Alaska. The commercial certificated pilot, and the two passengers, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was filed from Circle to Tok. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on September 15, the chief pilot for the operator reported that the pilot was departing runway 15 at Circle. About 1,800 feet after beginning the takeoff run, about 65 knots indicated airspeed, the pilot said he raised the nose for lift-off, but the airplane did not become airborne. He then aborted the takeoff, and applied the brakes, but the airplane went off the end of the runway into an area of marshy tussock grass. The nose gear strut collapsed, and the airplane came to rest about 75 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. In a telephone conversation with the IIC on September 17, the pilot, who is the director of maintenance for the operator, indicated that prior to takeoff, he selected 10 degrees of flaps. Following the accident, he noticed the flaps were only deployed to about 3 or 4 degrees of travel, even though the flap indicator was still set at 10 degrees. The pilot said he moved the flap lever several times up and down, but was only able to achieve 10 degrees of flap deployment by moving the flap lever to a 20 degree setting, before selecting a 10 degree setting. In the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) submitted by the pilot, the pilot indicated that the airplane did not have any mechanical malfunction. In the optional safety recommendation portion of the report form, the pilot indicated that the "flap position could have been checked visually before takeoff." Also in the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, the pilot reported that following the accident, as he left the airplane to call his company operations, he noticed the wind was favoring runway 33. When he returned to the airplane, he reported the wind was again favoring runway 15. On October 8, 2002, in a telephone conversation with the IIC, the pilot reported the airplane received damage to the lower engine cowling/fuselage structure, nose gear strut attach point/structure, lower firewall, and propeller. Runway 15 at the Circle City Airport has a gravel surface, and is 3,000 feet long by 60 feet wide. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N207DG](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N207DG), registered now, S/N 207-00070, built 1969 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 207 - Registry model: [Cessna T207](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-t207) (registry code 2073612) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 20700070 - Airframe hours: 9821 - Engines: CONTINENTAL IO-520-F 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: 40 Mile Air Ltd. - Registered owner: Rwr Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 26, 2002, 77 hours before - Departed: PACR, CIRCLE, AK - Destination: PATJ, TOK, AK - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: PACR, Circle City, runway 15, 3,000 × 60 ft, gravel ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 45; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review August 1, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 1,300 total, 107 in this make and model, 1,260 as pilot in command, 95 in the last 90 days, 49 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 150° at 3 knots, gusting 7 - Visibility: 100 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F ## 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 20020915024549A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020915024549A), Sep 15, 2002: Cessna T207, Circle, AK, Minor damage. (-23) [privacy data omitted] crashed on takeoff after attempt to abort; flaps were set to takeoff position of 10* degrees but extended only to 3* degrees.… 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.