# NTSB ANC07LA003: Cessna 207, N7336U, Tuntutuliak, AK, October 13, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 13, 2006, 15:12 local (23:12 UTC) - Place: Tuntutuliak, AK - Coordinates: 60.335277, -162.666946 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.3353&lon=-162.6669&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report May 29, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA-AL-ANC FSDO 03 - NTSB case key (mKey): 64701 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC07LA003 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/64701/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC07LA003 ## Probable cause The pilot's misjudgment of distance/altitude during the landing approach, which resulted in an undershoot and in-flight collision with a river embankment. Factors contributing to the accident were reduced visibility due to rain and mist. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - weather condition - rain (contributing factor) - weather condition - drizzle/mist (contributing factor) - Undershoot, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - distance/altitude - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - terrain condition - dirt bank/rising embankment ## Analysis The commercial certificated pilot was attempting to land on a remote runway during a Title 14, CFR Part 135, cargo flight. The approach end of the runway is located at the edge of a river. During the pilot's fourth attempt to land, the airplane collided with the river embankment, and sustained structural damage. The director of operations for the operator reported that he interviewed several witnesses to the accident. They told him that the weather conditions in the area had been good VFR, but as the pilot was attempting to land, rain and mist moved over the area, reducing the visibility to about 1/4 mile. Within 30 minutes of the accident, the weather conditions were once again VFR. The pilot told an FAA inspector that the weather conditions consisted of a 500 foot ceiling and 2 miles of visibility. The pilot reported that he made 3 passes over the runway before attempting to land. On the last landing approach, while maintaining 80 knots airspeed, the pilot said the nose of the airplane dropped, he applied full power and tried to raise the nose, but the airplane collided with the river bank. ## Factual narrative On October 13, 2006, about 1512 Alaska daylight time, a wheel-equipped Cessna 207 airplane, N7336U, sustained substantial damage when it collided with the edge of a river embankment during the landing approach at the Tuntutuliak Airport, Tuntutuliak, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country nonscheduled cargo flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by Flight Alaska Inc., d.b.a. Yute Air Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska. The commercial certificated pilot, the sole occupant, received minor injuries. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the area of the accident. VFR company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight originated at the Bethel Airport, Bethel, Alaska, about 1443. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on October 16, the director of operations for the operator reported that he interviewed several witnesses to the accident, and learned that the pilot was attempting to land on runway 20 at Tuntutuliak. The gravel surface runway is 1,772 long and 28 feet wide. The approach end of the runway is located at the edge of a river. The director of operations said the weather conditions in the area had been good VFR, but as the pilot was attempting to land, rain and mist moved over the area, reducing the visibility to about 1/4 mile. The airplane collided with the river embankment as the pilot was on his fourth landing attempt. The airplane received structural damage to the landing gear, fuselage and wings, and came to rest about 40 degrees to the left of the runway. The director of operations indicated that within 30 minutes of the accident, the weather conditions were once again VFR. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector from the Anchorage Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) interviewed the pilot by telephone. The inspector indicated that the pilot's assessment of the weather conditions was a 500 foot ceiling and 2 miles of visibility. The pilot reported that he made 3 passes over the runway before attempting to land. On the last landing approach, while maintaining 80 knots airspeed, the pilot said the nose of the airplane dropped, he applied full power and tried to raise the nose, but the airplane collided with the river bank. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7336U](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7336U-2017-10-30), registration cancelled 2017-10-30, S/N 20700405, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 207 - Registry model: [Cessna 207A](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-207a) (registry code 2073604) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 20700405 - Airframe hours: 21781 - Engines: Continental IO-520-F 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Flight Alaska Inc., doing business as Yute Air Alaska - Registered owner: Maritime Sales and Leasing - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 1, 2006, 61 hours before - Departed: PABE, Bethel, AK - Destination: A61, Tuntutuliak, AK - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: A61, Tuntutuliak, runway 20, 1,772 × 28 ft, gravel ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, multi-engine sea, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review October 1, 2006; seat: left; flight hours: 5,700 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 5,000 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 10 knots - Visibility: 0.25 statute miles - Temperature: 39 °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 20061013023099A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20061013023099A), Oct 13, 2006: Cessna 207A, Tuntutuliak, AK, Destroyed. (-23) The pilot made repeated passes over the runway. On the fourth pass the aircraft stalled short of the runway and impacted a riverbank approximately 7 feet… ## Other investigations on N7336U (1) 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 ANC01LA017](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC01LA017), Nov 3, 2000: Cessna 207A (N7336U), Bethel, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to use all available runway. Factors associated with the accident were the pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation, a short runway, a tailwind, and a slush-covered… 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.