ANC95LA159

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 206 · Homer, AK · September 6, 1995

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
September 6, 1995, 07:15 local (15:15 UTC)
Place
Homer, AK
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N37EWCessna 206
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Dawn
Status
Completed · report April 29, 1996
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Alaska Regional Office
FAA report
19950906027949A
Case key
2732

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions, which resulted in his failure to reach the proper touchdown point for landing. Factors related to the accident were: the variable wind condition, and rising terrain (no overrun) at the approach end of the runway.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

UndershootApproach - vfr pattern - final approach
Weather condition - variable windFactor
Compensation for wind conditions - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Proper touchdown point - not attainedPilot in commandCause
In flight collision with terrain/waterLanding - flare/touchdown
Airport facilities,runway overrun area - unavailableFactor
Terrain condition - risingFactor
Nose gear collapsedLanding - flare/touchdown
Landing gear,nose gear - overload
Nose overLanding

Analysis

According to the pilot's statement, he was flying to Bear Cove to position the airplane for a passenger pickup. He aligned the airplane to land to the west into the wind. On short final the windsock went limp, and the airplane struck the runway's threshold, which was situated on a bluff. Subsequently, the nose gear sheared off, and the airplane nosed over.

Factual narrative

On September 6, 1995, at 0715 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 206 airplane, N37EW, operated by Homer Air Service of Homer, Alaska, undershot the landing airstrip and nosed over during a landing attempt on a remote airstrip locally known as "Bear Cove" which is located in Bear Cove at the head of Kachemak Bay, Alaska. The positioning flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 91, departed Seldovia, Alaska, and the destination was Bear Cove. A company visual flight rules flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The commercial certificated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured and the airplane was substantially damaged.

According to the statement attached to the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, the pilot was landing to the west into an estimated 8 knot headwind. Just prior to touchdown the pilot wrote that the windsock went limp and the airplane struck the threshold of the runway which was located on a bluff. The nose gear sheared off and when the airplane touched down on the runway it nosed over.

Aircraft

Registration
N37EW
Reported as
Cessna 206
Category
Airplane
Serial number
U20602997
Airframe hours
6,940
Engine
Continental IO-520, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Positioning · Part 91
Operator
H0mer Air Service
Registered owner
C & L Inc.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · August 2, 1995 · 72 hours before
Departed
SOV · Seldovia, AK
Destination
Bear Cove, AK
Flight plan
Company VFR
Airport
Bear Cove, runway 27, dirt

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
55
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
7,554 total · 3,700 in this make and model · 266 in the last 90 days · 101 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Dawn
Wind
Variable at 8 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
3,000 ft overcast
Temperature
50 °F, dew point 46 °F
Altimeter
29.00 inHg

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.

Other investigations on N37EW · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.