ANC94LA102

The pilot stated that he misjudged the strength of the tailwind and landed the airplane halfway down the 1800 foot wet sand/gravel strip. He considered but cancelled out a go-around because he believed that he was committed to landing the plane.

On August 9, 1994, at 1254 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 206 airplane, N756NG, registered to Arctic Air Group and operated by Artic Circle Air Service, Inc., collided with terrain during landing at a remote area known as Stuyahok, Alaska. The commercial certificated pilot-in-command, the sole occupant, received minor injuries and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight was conducted under the non scheduled rules contained in 14 CFR Part 135 for the purpose of carrying a cargo of automotive fuel to the gold mining camp located near the landing site. The flight last departed Aniak, Alaska at 1222, and the intended destination was the landing strip. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a company flight plan was in effect.

On the afternoon of August 10, 1994, the NTSB investigator-in-charge conducted a telephone interview with the pilot-in-command. The pilot said that he was performing a full flap landing on the upsloped southwest strip (runway heading 210) with a tailwind varying from 030 to 090 at 10 to 15 knots. He said that he misjudged the strength of the tailwind and touched down about halfway down the 1800 foot sand and gravel strip. He felt that a go-around would not be successful. The plane overran the end of the strip, crossed a small stream, collided with the far bank, and nosed over.