# NTSB ANC95LA127: Cessna 206, N206EJ, Sterling, AK, August 4, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 3, 1995, 20:00 local (Aug 4, 1995, 04:00 UTC) - Place: Sterling, AK - Coordinates: 60.539474, -150.789886 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.5395&lon=-150.7899&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 14, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 2706 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC95LA127 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/2706/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC95LA127 ## Probable cause (aircraft 2) FAILURE OF BOTH PILOT'S TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT. THE LOW ANGLE OF THE SUN WAS A RELATED FACTOR. ## Probable cause (aircraft 1) FAILURE OF BOTH PILOT'S TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT. THE LOW ANGLE OF THE SUN WAS A RELATED FACTOR. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Midair collision, takeoff - initial climb - visual lookout - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - visual lookout - inadequate, pilot of other aircraft (cause) - light condition - sunglare (contributing factor) - Midair collision, cruise - visual lookout - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - visual lookout - not maintained, pilot of other aircraft (cause) - light condition - sunglare (contributing factor) ## Analysis (aircraft 2) THE PILOT OF CESSNA 206 FLOATPLANE, N206EJ, MADE A TOUCH-AND-GO LANDING ON A RIVER AND DEPARTED IN A SOUTHBOUND DIRECTION. HE THEN BEGAN A CLIMBING LEFT TURN TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHEAST. IN THE SAME VICINITY, THE PILOT OF PIPER PA-18, N7KA, WAS IN LEVEL FLIGHT ON A WESTERLY HEADING AT ABOUT 1,000 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE TWO AIRPLANES CONVERGED. JUST BEFORE COLLIDING, THE PA-18 PILOT SAW THE CESSNA 206. HE IMMEDIATELY PULLED UP INTO A CLIMB, BUT THE OUTBOARD RIGHT WINGTIP OF THE CESSNA CONTACTED THE LEFT TIRE OF THE PA-18. BOTH AIRPLANES CONTINUED TO THEIR RESPECTIVE DEPARTURE AIRPORTS AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE WEATHER CONDITION AT THE TIME WAS REPORTED AS 4,000 TO 5,000 FEET SCATTERED; VISIBILITY 10 MILES. THE SUN WAS LOCATED ON A 277 DEGREE HEADING FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE AND 16.2 DEGREES ABOVE THE HORIZON. ## Analysis (aircraft 1) THE PILOT OF CESSNA 206 FLOATPLANE, N206EJ, MADE A TOUCH-AND-GO LANDING ON A RIVER AND DEPARTED IN A SOUTHBOUND DIRECTION. HE THEN BEGAN A CLIMBING LEFT TURN TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHEAST. IN THE SAME VICINITY, THE PILOT OF PIPER PA-18, N7KA, WAS IN LEVEL FLIGHT ON A WESTERLY HEADING AT ABOUT 1,000 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE TWO AIRPLANES CONVERGED. JUST BEFORE COLLIDING, THE PA-18 PILOT SAW THE CESSNA 206. HE IMMEDIATELY PULLED UP INTO A CLIMB, BUT THE OUTBOARD RIGHT WINGTIP OF THE CESSNA CONTACTED THE LEFT TIRE OF THE PA-18. BOTH AIRPLANES CONTINUED TO THEIR RESPECTIVE DEPARTURE AIRPORTS AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE WEATHER CONDITION AT THE TIME WAS REPORTED AS 4,000 TO 5,000 FEET SCATTERED; VISIBILITY 10 MILES. THE SUN WAS LOCATED ON A 277 DEGREE HEADING FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE AND 16.2 DEGREES ABOVE THE HORIZON. ## Factual narrative (aircraft 2) Same as narrative ANC-95-L-A127A ## Factual narrative (aircraft 1) On August 3, 1995, about 2000 Alaska daylight time, a float equipped Cessna 206, N206EJ, collided with a tundra tire equipped Piper PA-18-150, N7KA, about 1,000 feet mean sea level (MSL), about 1 mile east of Sterling, Alaska. The accident area was near the intersection of the Moose river and the Kenai river. N206EJ was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area personal flight that departed Lake Hood Seaplane base, Anchorage, Alaska, about 1900. N7KA was being operated as a VFR local area personal flight that departed Soldotna airport, Soldotna, Alaska, about 1900. N206EJ, received substantial damage. N7KA was not damaged. The certificated private pilot, the sole occupant of N206EJ, was not injured. The certificated private pilot and the sole passenger of N7KA were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot of N206EJ reported that he was practicing takeoff and landings and had just departed the Moose River in a southbound direction. He then began a climbing left turn toward the northeast. The pilot of N7KA indicated that he was in level flight on a westerly heading, following the north side of the Kenai river. He noticed N206EJ to the left and below his airplane and immediately pulled up into a climb. The outboard right wingtip of N206EJ contacted the left tire of N7KA. Both airplanes continued to their respective departure airports and landed without further incident. The pilot of N206EJ indicated that he announced his intentions on a radio frequency of 122.9 while conducting his takeoff and landings. The pilot of N7KA indicated that he had been monitoring the Soldotna, Alaska, Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS) radio frequency but had changed to 122.9 at the end of N206EJ's position report and did not hear the entire transmission. Both pilot's reported that the weather conditions at the time consisted of scattered clouds between 4,000 to 5,000 feet; visibility, 10 miles; temperature, 60 degrees F; wind, 180 degrees at 7 to 10 knots. The position of the sun at the time of the accident was computed to be on a 277 degree heading from the accident site and 16.2 degrees above the horizon. ## Aircraft 1 - Registration: [N206EJ](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N206EJ), registered now, S/N U20602507, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 206 - Registry model: [Cessna U206F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-u206f) (registry code 2073333) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: U20602507 - Airframe hours: 2800 - Engines: CONTINENTAL IO-520-F 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: James T. Zernell - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 7, 1995, 53 hours before - Departed: LHD, ANCHORAGE, AK ## Aircraft 2 - Registration: [N7KA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7KA), registered now, S/N 18-7809069, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-18-150 - Registry model: [Piper PA-18-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150) (registry code 7101828) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18-7809069 - Airframe hours: 1506 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-B2B 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: No damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Trevor Lofstedt - Registered owner: Vernon Lofstedt - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 29, 1995, 27 hours before - Departed: SXQ, SOLDOTNA, AK ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot, aircraft N206EJ; age 37; private; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 975 total, 310 in this make and model, 847 as pilot in command, 29 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours - Pilot, aircraft N7KA; age 20; private; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: front; flight hours: 160 total, 90 in this make and model, 100 as pilot in command, 45 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F ## FAA reports on this event (2) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19950803026851A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950803026851A), Aug 3, 1995: Cessna U206F, Sterling, AK, Substantial damage. During climb float plane collided with left main wheel of tundra tire equipped N7KA in level flight. Both landed. - [Accident 19950803026852A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950803026852A), Aug 3, 1995: Piper PA18150, Sterling, AK. During level flight wing tip of climbing float plane N206 et struck the left main tundra tire of aircraft. Landed. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.