- Date
- June 27, 2021, 17:00 local (Jun 28, 2021, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Dillingham, AK
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N8216JCessna A185F
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 20210627010989A
- Case key
- 103416
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 failure to maintain directional control during takeoff in gusting wind conditions which resulted in a loss of control and impact 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 reported that, just after takeoff from the narrow brush lined airstrip, he encountered a wind gust which pushed the airplane to the left. The left wing struck the brush and the airplane spun around and impacted terrain sustaining substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8216J
- Reported as
- Cessna A185F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18502864
- Built
- 1976
- Engine
- Cont Motor IO 520 D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 15, 2021
- Destination
- Portage Creek, AK
- Airport
- AK21 · Nushagak, runway 16/34, 1,000 × 50 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, ADS-B
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
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 7, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,907 total · 1,267 in this make and model · 1,826 as pilot in command · 56 in the last 90 days · 39 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,700 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.23 inHg
- Observed at
- PAJZ, 17 nm away
- METAR
- PAJZ 280056Z AUTO 17003KT 6SM HZ OVC037 14/08 A3023 RMK AO2 SLP243 T01390078 PNO $
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 12, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.6 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.