- Date
- February 10, 2004, 16:52 local (20:52 UTC)
- Place
- Toksook Bay, AK
- Injuries
- 7 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N1276PCessna 208B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 1, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA-AL-AND FSDO 03
- FAA report
- 20040210001269A
- Case key
- 58726
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot's inadequate planning and decision to initiate a takeoff into a crosswind that exceeded the airplane's demonstrated crosswind component, which resulted in a loss of directional control during the takeoff roll, and subsequent collision with terrain and nose over. Factors contributing to the accident were the crosswind, an icy runway, and the pilot's failure to abort the takeoff.
Analysis
The commercial certificated pilot was departing on a VFR scheduled commuter flight. The runway was 3,200 feet long and 60 feet wide, and the surface had areas of packed snow and ice. A right crosswind was estimated between 15 to 25 knots. About 300 feet after beginning the takeoff roll, between 30 to 50 knots airspeed, the airplane began to drift to the left, which the pilot was unable to correct. The airplane departed off the left side of the runway and nosed over. The airplane received damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The maximum demonstrated crosswind velocity, takeoff or landing, is 20 knots.
Factual narrative
On February 10, 2004, about 1652 Alaska standard time, a wheel-equipped Cessna 208B airplane, N1276P, sustained substantial damage when it collided with snow-covered terrain after it departed the runway and nosed over during the takeoff roll at the Toksook Bay Airport, Toksook Bay, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) scheduled passenger flight to Newtok, Alaska, under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated as Flight 2821 by Grant Aviation Inc., Anchorage, Alaska. The commercial certificated pilot, and the 6 passengers, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and VFR company flight following procedures were in effect.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on February 12, the director of operations for the operator reported that the pilot was departing on runway 34. The runway surface had areas of packed snow and ice, and the director of operations indicated that he had received reports that a right crosswind was blowing from 070 degrees between 15 to 25 knots. According to the director of operations, the pilot said that about 300 feet after beginning the takeoff roll, between 30 to 50 knots airspeed, the airplane began to drift to the left, which he was unable to correct. The airplane departed off the left side of the runway and nosed over. The airplane received damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage.
Runway 34 at Toksook Bay is 3,200 feet long and 60 feet wide.
According to the accident airplane's information manual, the maximum demonstrated crosswind velocity, takeoff or landing, is 20 knots.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1276P
- Reported as
- Cessna 208B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 208B0852
- Airframe hours
- 3,897
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney 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 30, 2004 · 24 hours before
- Departed
- OOK · Toksook Bay, AK
- Destination
- PAEW · Newtok, AK
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- OOK · Toksook Bay, runway 34, 3,200 × 60 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
- 34
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- October 17, 2003
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,800 total · 190 in this make and model · 230 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 30 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 28.87 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N1276P · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.