# NTSB ANC22LA009: Cessna 208, N9602F, Port Alsworth, AK, December 2, 2021

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: December 1, 2021, 18:25 local (Dec 2, 2021, 03:25 UTC)
- Place: Port Alsworth, AK
- Coordinates: 60.200057, -154.33666
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.2001&lon=-154.3367&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 104341
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC22LA009
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104341/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104341
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC22LA009

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain a proper approach path which resulted in landing short of the runway and impact with terrain.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 208, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md?model=2073702), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 208, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2073702), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Approach-VFR pattern final: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 208, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md?model=2073702), [All aircraft, 1,074 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that, during a second landing attempt at a private airport, in night conditions, the airplane descended below the glide path and landed short of the runway in an area of heavily forested terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation, and the accident may have been prevented if the runway was equipped with a visual glide slope indicator.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N9602F](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9602F), registered now, S/N 20800103, built 1985 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 208
- Registry model: [Cessna 208](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-208) (registry code 2073702) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-6 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-6-series) (registry code 52150, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 20800103
- Year built: 1985
- Airframe hours: 25724
- Engines: P&W CANADA PT6A-6 SERIES 550 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Business, Part 135
- Operator: Lake And Peninsula Airlines Inc
- Registered owner: Lake And Peninsula Airlines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: PANO, Nondalton, AK
- Destination: Same as departure
- Flight plan: Company VFR
- Airport: PAKX, Port Alsworth, runway 06R, 3,849 × 100 ft, gravel
- Equipment: Handheld GPS, Onboard weather, Satellite tracking device, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic primary flight display

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 76; injuries: minor; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 25, 2021; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 47,000 total, 9,000 in this make and model, 46,500 as pilot in command, 90 in the last 90 days, 32.9 in the last 30 days, 1.5 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night
- Wind: 360° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: -0 °F, dew point -11 °F
- Altimeter: 30.28 inHg
- Observed at: PAIL, 32 nm away
- METAR: PAIL 022153Z 36009KT 10SM CLR M18/M24 A3028 RMK AO2 SLP260 T11781244

## 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 20211201018539A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20211201018539A), Dec 1, 2021: Cessna 208, Port Alsworth, AK, Substantial damage. Pilot landed short of Runway 6R at pakx. Pilot landed in the trees after performing a go around due to park service firefighting equipment driving down the…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 21, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104341. 4.8 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 795 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13448352&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ANC22LA009%206020-1%20combined_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 4.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12994635&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20ANC22LA009-Rel.pdf

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.

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