# NTSB DEN83LA054: Cessna 207, N1597U, Jamestown, ND, January 28, 1983

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: January 27, 1983, 22:30 local (Jan 28, 1983, 04:30 UTC)
- Place: Jamestown, ND
- Coordinates: 46.909149, -98.690483 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.9091&lon=-98.6905&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 16035
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN83LA054
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/16035/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN83LA054

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight encounter with weather, cruise - normal
  - weather condition - rain (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - icing conditions (contributing factor)
- Loss of engine power(partial) - mech failure/malf, cruise - normal
  - induction air control/system - undetermined (cause)
  - fuel system,ram air/induction air - blocked(partial) (cause)
- Forced landing, landing - flare/touchdown
- In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown
  - light condition - dark night (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - fog (contributing factor)

## Analysis

WHILE EN ROUTE, THE PLT ENCOUNTERED FREEZING RAIN AND CLIMBED TO APRX 3500 FT TO BE ON TOP OF ALL WEATHER. WHEN HE THROTTLED BACK, THE ENGINE BEGAN SURGING AND WOULD NOT PRODUCE ENOUGH POWER FOR LEVEL FLIGHT. THE PILOT KNEW THAT THE GROUND LEVEL IN THAT AREA WAS APRX 1700 TO 1900 FT MSL. AS HE DESCENDED THRU 2500 FT, HE PLACED 2 MAILBAGS ON HIS LAP. HE DIMMED THE COCKPIT LIGHTS, TURNED ON THE TAXI LIGHTS AND WINDSHIELD ALCOHOL, AND BEGAN LOOKING FOR GROUND REFERENCES. HOWEVER, HE DID NOT SEE THE GROUND UNTIL THE TIME OF IMPACT. THE PILOT BELIEVED THAT THE AUTOMATIC FEATURE OF THE ALTERNATE AIR DOOR HAD MALFUNCTIONED OR FAILED. HE REPORTED THAT HE AND ANOTHER PILOT HAD PREVIOUSLY HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM WHEN THE SAME KIND OF WEATHER WAS ENCOUNTERED. REPORTEDLY, AT ONE TIME, THE ACFT HAD BEEN EQUIPPED WITH A MANUAL CONTROL TO OPERATE THE DOOR. BUT THIS FEATURE HAD BEEN REMOVED. DURING A FUNCTIONAL CHECK, THE ENGINE OPERATED NORMALLY. THE ALT AIR DOOR PARTS WERE TOO BADLY DAMAGED FROM IMPACT TO BE OPERATIONALLY CHKD.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N1597U](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1597U-1988-08-11), registration cancelled 1988-08-11, S/N 20700197 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 207
- Registry model: [Cessna 207](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-207) (registry code 2073602) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 20700197
- Airframe hours: 4320
- Engines: CONTINENTAL IO-520F 300 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Part 135
- Registered owner: Red River Transport & Devl. Co
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility
- Last inspection: Annual, July 26, 1982, 0 hours before
- Departed: FAR, FARGO, ND
- Destination: BIS, BISMARCK, ND
- Flight plan: VFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 30; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 2,169 total, 425 in this make and model, 2,013 as pilot in command, 374 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 180° at 10 knots
- Lowest ceiling: 100 ft overcast
- Temperature: 21 °F, dew point 18 °F

## 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 19830127003819A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19830127003819A), Jan 27, 1983: Cessna 207, Jamestown, ND, Substantial damage. Reported engine surging from stuck waste gate caused blind descent to gound impact. No defects. Freezing rain area.

## Other investigations on N1597U (1)

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 MKC79FER22](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MKC79FER22), Jan 4, 1979: Cessna 207 (N1597U), St Paul, MN, 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.

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