- Date
- May 17, 1998, 13:15 local (21:15 UTC)
- Place
- Iliamna, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N756HGCessna U206G
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 15, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19980517009469A
- Case key
- 3138
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 inadequate compensation for quartering tailwind conditions. A factor in the accident is the presence of a quartering tailwind.
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 solo commercial pilot was returning to Iliamna, Alaska, after dropping off his passengers. A successful landing was made on runway 07 at the Iliamna Airport. After the landing roll out, the pilot made a left turn onto the intersecting runway 35 to taxi to the company parking area. The pilot stated that after he made the turn, it was difficult to maintain directional control due to high winds and a quartering tailwind condition. A gust of wind lifted the tail of the airplane, and it nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, doors, and rudder assembly. The pilot noted in his written statement that wind conditions at the time of the accident were 080 at 25 knots, with peak gusts to 34 knots.
Factual narrative
On May 17, 1998, about 1315 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna U206G, N756HG, sustained substantial damage after landing at Iliamna Airport, Iliamna, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) repositioning flight under Title 14 CFR Part 91 when the accident occurred. The airplane is registered to, and operated by, Iliamna Air Taxi, Inc., Iliamna, Alaska. The airline transport certificated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. A VFR flight plan was filed. The flight last departed Nondalton, Alaska, at 1245, and the destination was Iliamna.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on May 18, the pilot related that he was returning from Nondalton. A successful landing was made on runway 07 at Iliamna. After landing roll out, the pilot made a left turn onto intersecting runway 35 to taxi to the company parking area. The pilot stated that after he made the turn, it was difficult to maintain directional control due to high winds and a quartering tailwind condition. After taxing about 75 feet, the right wing and tail lifted. The airplane then nosed over, causing substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, doors, and rudder assembly.
The pilot stated that the wind conditions at the time of the accident were 080 degrees at 25 knots, with peak gusts to 35 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N756HG
- Reported as
- Cessna U206G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- U20604099
- Airframe hours
- 5,366
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-F56B, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Iliamna Air Taxi
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 9, 1998 · 36 hours before
- Departed
- PJA · Port Alsworth, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- ILI · Iliamna, runway 35, 5,080 × 100 ft, gravel
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
- 27
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,527 total · 163 in this make and model · 1,445 as pilot in command · 136 in the last 90 days · 17 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 25 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 30 °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 N756HG · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.