# NTSB ANC97LA138: Cessna U206E, N9129M, Mcgrath, AK, September 2, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 1, 1997, 16:30 local (Sep 2, 1997, 00:30 UTC) - Place: Mcgrath, AK - Coordinates: 63.609535, -154.780395 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=63.6095&lon=-154.7804&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 4, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 3059 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC97LA138 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/3059/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC97LA138 ## Probable cause the pilot's improper flare and improper recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in overload failure of the nose gear and a nose over. Factors associated with the accident were: the pilot's failure to follow procedures and directives by neglecting to tie down and secure the load, and his failure to ensure that the passengers had seatbelts available and utilized them. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause) - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause) - Nose gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown - landing gear,nose gear - overload - Nose over, landing - procedures/directives - not followed, pilot in command (contributing factor) - misc eqpt/furnishings,cargo restraints - not connected (contributing factor) - load tie-down/security - not used, pilot in command (contributing factor) - seat belt - not available, passenger (contributing factor) - seat belt - not used, pilot passenger (contributing factor) - shoulder harness - not used, pilot passenger (contributing factor) ## Analysis The airplane landed hard and bounced into the air. During the subsequent touchdown, the nose wheel separated, and the airplane nosed over onto its back. Metallurgical examination of the nose wheel strut and forks revealed overstress fractures. The cargo was not secured, and struck the back seat passenger during the nose over. The aft passenger sustained serious neck injuries. The cargo was loaded on top of the aft seatbelts, making them unavailable to the aft passenger. The front seat, pilot-rated, passenger did not use the available lap belt or shoulder harness. ## Factual narrative On September 1, 1997, about 1630 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna U206E airplane, N9129M, was substantially damaged when it nosed over during landing at the Tatitna landing strip, seventy three miles east of McGrath, Alaska. The airline transport certificated pilot was uninjured. The front seat passenger sustained minor injuries. The back seat passenger sustained a serious neck injury. The airplane was operated by Alaska Air Taxi, of Anchorage, Alaska. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 135 as an on demand air taxi from Anchorage to the Tatitna strip. The flight departed Lake Hood strip at 1530. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and a company flight plan was filed. The pilot said that upon landing, the nose gear collapsed and the airplane nosed over onto its back. Witnesses on the ground, and the passengers, observed the airplane land hard and bounce into the air. The passengers said the airplane bounced twice, and on the third touchdown, nosed over. Both passengers stated that the landing was slightly downwind. The engine and empennage both separated from the airplane. The nose landing gear assembly had been installed on the airplane twelve days prior to the accident. Inspection of the nose wheel, strut, and forks, revealed permanent deformation to the left. Further microscopic inspection of the failed components at the NTSB metallurgical laboratory revealed fractures typical of right to left overstress. A small region of fatigue was observed at the forward bolt hole of the right fork. Neither passenger had their seatbelt fastened. Both passengers said that the cargo was not restrained, and had been placed on top of the rear seat passenger's lap belt, and that there was no belt available for the rear seat occupant. The passenger seated in the right, front seat said that his belt and shoulder harness were both available, but he did not wear them. During the accident sequence, the cargo struck the rear seat passenger. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9129M](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9129M-2013-11-06), registration cancelled 2013-11-06, S/N U20601529, built 1970 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna U206E - Registry model: [Cessna U206E](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-u206e) (registry code 2073350) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: U20601529 - Airframe hours: 7824 - Engines: Continental IO-520-F 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: Jack Barber - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, August 8, 1997, 44 hours before - Departed: Z41, LAKE HOOD STRIP, AK - Destination: AK48, TATITNA, AK - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: AK48, Tatitna, runway 24, 1,200 × 12 ft, gravel ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 44; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 12,500 total, 1,500 in this make and model, 340 in the last 90 days, 121 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 5,000 ft broken ## 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 19970901025879A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970901025879A), Sep 1, 1997: Cessna U206E, Tatitna, AK, Substantial damage. (.19) On September 1, 1997, about 1630 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 206 airplane, N9129M, was destroyed when it nosed over during landing at the Tatitna… ## Other investigations on N9129M (2) 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. - [NTSB ANC11LA061](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC11LA061), Jul 9, 2011: Cessna U206E (N9129M), Anchorage, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to depart with minimal fuel and his improper fuel management and engine restart procedures, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing to the… - [NTSB ANC79DA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC79DA062), Jun 26, 1979: Cessna U206 (N9129M), Emmonak, AK, substantial damage 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.