# NTSB ANC97LA109: Cessna 208, N9481F, Naknek, AK, July 22, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 21, 1997, 18:30 local (Jul 22, 1997, 02:30 UTC) - Place: Naknek, AK - Coordinates: 58.800373, -156.89978 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=58.8004&lon=-156.8998&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 10, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 3032 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC97LA109 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/3032/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC97LA109 ## Probable cause The pilots decision to continue the landing into adverse weather conditions and failure to maintain runway alignmet. A factor was the rain shower which resulted in reduced forward visibility. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - weather condition - rain (contributing factor) - flight into known adverse weather - continued, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - proper alignment - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - object - tree(s) ## Analysis The airplane was on short final to land when it encountered heavy rain, which reduced forward visibility. The pilot continued the landing, and during the landing roll, the airplane drifted right, and the right wing contacted brush and trees. The airplane departed the right side of the 1,700-foot-long x 50-foot-wide runway. ## Factual narrative On July 21, 1997, at 1830 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 208 airplane, N9481F, sustained substantial damage when it departed the runway at the Naknek-Tibbetts Airport, Naknek, Alaska, and impacted trees. The airline transport certificated pilot and two passengers were not injured. The airplane was operated by Peninsula Airways, Inc., of Anchorage, Alaska, as scheduled commuter flight number 354 from King Salmon, Alaska to Naknek. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 135, a company VFR flight plan was filed, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane departed the Naknek Airport at 1825, and was en route to the Tibbetts Airport, which is separated from the Naknek Airport by a drainage ditch. The flight immediately entered the pattern to land at the Tibbetts Airport. The pilot reported heavy rain began while maneuvering to land, and that he lost forward visibility while on short final. After landing, the airplane drifted off the right side of the 1,700 foot long by 50 foot wide runway, and contacted trees. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9481F](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9481F), registered now, S/N 20800070, 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-114](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-114) (registry code 52256, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 20800070 - Airframe hours: 8670 - Engines: P&W PT-6A-114 600 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Peninsula Airways Inc., doing business as Penair - Registered owner: Avion Capital Corporation - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 6, 1997, 61 hours before - Departed: 5NK, AK - Destination: 4AK9, NAKNEK/TIBBETTS, AK - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: 4AK9, Naknek-Tibbetts, runway 34, 1,700 × 50 ft, gravel ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine sea, single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 18,546 total, 204 in this make and model, 291 in the last 90 days, 110 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 280° at 5 knots - Visibility: 30 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 8,000 ft broken - Temperature: 59 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: AKN, 12 nm away ## 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 19970721023309A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970721023309A), Jul 21, 1997: Cessna 208, Naknek, AK, Substantial damage. (.19) On July 21, 1997, at 1730 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 208 airplane, N9481F, sustained substantial damage when it departed the runway at the Tibbetts… 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.