# NTSB ANC98LA150: Cessna 207A, N7380U, Hughes, AK, September 10, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 10, 1998, 15:00 local (23:00 UTC) - Place: Hughes, AK - Coordinates: 66.049217, -154.239028 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=66.0492&lon=-154.2390&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 30, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 43983 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC98LA150 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/43983/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA150 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions, and an inadvertent stall. A factor in the accident was the presence of a tail wind. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - uphill - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The certificated airline transport pilot was landing in an uphill direction at a remote airport as part of an on-demand air taxi flight. The runway was 4,100 feet long, and 120 feet wide, with an uphill gradient of 7.1 percent. For the runway selected by the pilot, a tail wind of 20 knots, with gusts to 24 knots, was present. During the landing flare, about 3 feet above the runway, the pilot said he encountered a gust of wind, or wind shear. The airplane stalled, and contacted the runway hard on the main landing gear. After landing, the pilot reported he inspected the airplane for damage but did not notice any. The following day, the pilot noticed the aft tie-down ring, and tail skid, located on the underside of the tail cone, was broken off the airplane. In addition, the airplane received damage to the aft empennage bulkhead, and adjacent fuselage structure. ## Factual narrative On September 10, 1998, about 1500 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 207A airplane, N7380U, sustained substantial damage during landing at a remote airport, about 13 miles east of Hughes, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country on-demand passenger flight under Title 14 CFR Part 135 when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by Warbelow's Air Ventures Inc., Fairbanks, Alaska. The certificated airline transport pilot, and the sole passenger, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport, Galena, Alaska, at 1403. In the pilot/operator report (NTSB form 6120.1/2) submitted by the pilot, the pilot reported he was landing on runway 24 at the Indian Mountain Long Range Radar Station (LRRS) airport. The pilot said the wind conditions were 030 degrees at 20 knots, with gusts to 24 knots. During the landing flare, about 3 feet above the runway, the airplane encountered a gust of wind, or wind shear. The airplane stalled, and contacted the runway hard on the main landing gear. After landing, the pilot reported he inspected the airplane for damage but did not notice any. The following day, September 11, 1998, the pilot began a preflight inspection of the airplane in preparation for a flight. He noticed the aft tie-down ring, and tail skid, located on the underside of the tail cone, was broken off the airplane. In addition, the airplane received damage to the aft empennage bulkhead, and adjacent fuselage structure. The Indian Mountain LRRS, is located at 1,200 feet msl. Runway 24 is 4,100 feet long, and 120 feet wide. It has an uphill gradient of 7.1 percent. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7380U](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7380U-2018-08-27), registration cancelled 2018-08-27, S/N 20700428 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 207A - Registry model: [Cessna 207A](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-207a) (registry code 2073604) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 20700428 - Airframe hours: 11518 - Engines: Continental IO-520-F27B 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Warbelow'S Air Ventures Inc. - Registered owner: Art Warbelow - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 1, 1998, 25 hours before - Departed: PAGA, GALENA, AK - Destination: PAIM - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: PAIM, Indian Mountain Llrs, runway 24, 4,100 × 120 ft, gravel ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 30; airline transport, commercial, private; 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: 6,530 total, 2,399 in this make and model, 5,030 as pilot in command, 120 in the last 90 days, 51 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 30° at 20 knots, gusting 24 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 52 °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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19980910028159A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980910028159A), Sep 10, 1998: Cessna 207A, Utopia Creek, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) Approach made to runway 24, runway gradient is 7.1% up, wind was 17 KTS gusting to 23 KTS., and blowing straight down the runway from the approach end.… ## Other investigations on N7380U (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 ANC08LA106](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC08LA106), Aug 18, 2008: Cessna 207A (N7380U), Bethel, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot of the other airplane's excessive taxi speed while taxiing to the runway, and his failure to see the stopped airplane ahead of him in time to avoid a collision. - [NTSB ANC08CA036](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC08CA036), Feb 7, 2008: Cessna 207 (N7380U), Chefornak, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during the landing flare/touchdown. 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.