- Date
- September 2, 1996, 15:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Port Alsworth, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N733KDCessna 206
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19960902025349A
- Case key
- 2890
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 improper in-flight planning/decision, which resulted in intering a box canyon with insufficient altitude to either execute a turn to safety or outclimb rising terrain. A factor associated with the accident was: the pilot allowed the passenger to influence him to enter the canyon.
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.
Analysis
The pilot stated the passenger talked him into flying up a canyon, which appeared to be a pass at the time they entered. Once inside the canyon, the pilot realized there was insufficient room to complete a 180 degree turn. He applied full power and attempted to climb straight ahead. After reaching about 2,800 feet above sea level, the airplane's floats struck the ground. The airplane slide approximately 15 feet, then nosed over.
Factual narrative
On September 2, 1996, at 1530 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 206 airplane, N733KD, registered to and operated by Lake Clark Air, Inc., collided with terrain and nosed over after entering and maneuvering in a narrow canyon. The air taxi flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 135, departed Port Alsworth, Alaska, and the destination was Lake Tazimina near Port Alsworth. A company visual flight rules flight plan was in effect and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The airline transport certificated pilot and the passenger were not injured. The airplane received substantial damage.
According to the pilot, he allowed the passenger to talk him into flying up the narrow canyon which appeared to be a pass at the time he entered. After entering the canyon he realized he would be unable to make a 180 degree turn and he applied maximum power. The terrain was rising steeply and he was attempting to reach the top of the pass. The airplane contacted the ground at the 2,800 foot level of the pass. The pilot stated the pass was 3,000 feet high. After the airplane's floats hit the ground, the airplane slid approximately 15 feet. The nose of the floats dug into the dirt and the airplane nosed over.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N733KD
- Reported as
- Cessna 206
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 04772
- Airframe hours
- 7,745
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-F, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Lake Clark Air, doing business as The Farm
- Registered owner
- Glen R. Alsworth
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 13, 1996 · 73 hours before
- Departed
- AK
- Destination
- Lake Tazimina, AK
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
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
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 12,054 total · 14 in this make and model · 8,431 as pilot in command · 382 in the last 90 days · 155 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.