- Date
- July 11, 2006, 16:45 local (Jul 12, 2006, 00:45 UTC)
- Place
- Fairbanks, AK
- Injuries
- 5 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8440QCessna 206F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 29, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 20060712014059A
- Case key
- 64094
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 pilot's inadequate weather evaluation, which resulted in the airplane encountering a severe downdraft during takeoff initial climb, and an in-flight collision with terrain. Factors associated with the accident were a thunderstorm and a downdraft.
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.
Analysis
The airline transport certificated pilot reported that he was attempting to takeoff from a slough with a float-equipped airplane on a Title 14, CFR Part 135 on-demand air taxi flight. He stated that he aborted the first takeoff attempt due to shifting winds created by local thunderstorms, and elected to takeoff in the opposite direction. Shortly after liftoff, the pilot reported that the airplane encountered a severe downdraft, and descended onto the tundra, striking Alder and Willow bushes. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and wing lift struts.
Factual narrative
The airline transport certificated pilot reported he was attempting to takeoff from a slough with a float-equipped airplane on a Title 14, CFR Part 135 on-demand air taxi flight. He stated he aborted the first takeoff attempt due to shifting winds created by local thunderstorms, and elected to takeoff in the opposite direction. Shortly after liftoff, the pilot reported the airplane encountered a severe downdraft, and descended onto the tundra, striking Alder and Willow bushes. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and wing lift struts.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8440Q
- Reported as
- Cessna 206F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- U20603299
- Engine
- Continental IO-520, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Marina Air, doing business as Marina Air Inc.
- Registered owner
- Louis Gold
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Departed
- Fairbanks, AK
- Destination
- AK28 · Chena Marina, AK
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
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
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Last flight review
- June 1, 2005
- Flight hours
- 17,322 total · 5,300 in this make and model · 140 in the last 90 days · 90 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,600 ft broken
- Temperature
- 81 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.