- Date
- December 9, 2019, 16:15 local (Dec 10, 2019, 01:15 UTC)
- Place
- Kwigillingok, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N9728MCessna 207
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 16, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 20191209018509I
- Case key
- 101118
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 improper decision to depart from an ice-covered runway with a strong crosswind, which resulted in a loss of directional control, runway excursion, and impact with a ditch.
Findings · 6
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 reported that he was departing from an ice-covered runway with a strong crosswind. After lining up on the runway, he added power and felt the airplane slide right. To correct, he applied left rudder and left brake to no avail. He reduced the engine power to idle and again applied left rudder and left brake, but the airplane continued to slide. He subsequently pulled the mixture to idle cutoff. The airplane slid off the runway and impacted a ditch, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was departing an ice-covered runway in a strong crosswind. After lining up on the runway, he added power and felt the airplane slide to the right. In an effort to correct, he applied left rudder and left brake to no avail. He reduced the engine power to idle and once again applied left rudder and left brake, but the airplane continued to slide. He subsequently pulled the mixture to idle cutoff. The airplane slid off the runway and impacted a ditch sustaining substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operations.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9728M
- Reported as
- Cessna 207 (A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20700721
- Built
- 1981
- Airframe hours
- 29,228.2
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-F, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Grant Aviation Inc
- Registered owner
- Grant Aviation Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · November 4, 2019
- Departed
- GGV · Kwigillingok, AK
- Destination
- BET · Bethel, AK
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- GGV · Kwigillingok, runway 15, 1,835 × 40 ft, dirt
- Equipment
- 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
- 39
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 14, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,491.8 total · 516.7 in this make and model · 121.6 in the last 90 days · 22 in the last 30 days · 2.7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 32 knots, gusting 37
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 36 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 28.42 inHg
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 7, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.4 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.