- Date
- July 22, 2015, 08:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Kasilof, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N206CLCessna U206F
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 14, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20150722014089A
- Case key
- 91615
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 selection of unsuitable terrain for takeoff, which resulted in a jammed elevator and subsequent loss of control and collision with terrain.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot was departing a remote tidal beach in a tricycle landing gear-equipped airplane. The pilot reported that during the takeoff roll, right at liftoff, the airplane hit a piece of drift wood jamming the elevator in the nose-up position. As the airplane became airborne the pilot reduced power in an effort to control pitch. At about 15 feet above ground level the elevator broke free, and locked in the nose down position. The airplane impacted the beach sustaining substantial damage to the firewall and left elevator. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot was departing a remote tidal beach in a tricycle landing gear-equipped airplane. The pilot reported that during the takeoff roll, right at liftoff, the airplane hit a piece of drift wood jamming the elevator in the nose-up position. As the airplane became airborne the pilot reduced power in an effort to control pitch. At about 15 feet above ground level the elevator broke free, and locked in the nose down position. The airplane impacted the beach sustaining substantial damage to the firewall and left elevator. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N206CL
- Reported as
- Cessna U206F (F)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- U20602538
- Built
- 1974
- Airframe hours
- 7,979
- Engine
- Continental IO520, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Pacific Alaska Shellfish Inc
- Registered owner
- Pacific Alaska Shellfish Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 22, 2015
- Departed
- Kasilof, AK
- Destination
- 6AK3 · Nikiski, AK
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Stall warning system
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
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 22, 2015
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 10,014 total · 9,750 in this make and model · 9,900 as pilot in command · 256 in the last 90 days · 111 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 9,000 ft broken
- Altimeter
- 29.69 inHg
- Observed at
- 5KS, 53 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 11, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.5 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.