Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 207 near Napaskiak, AK — 2008-11-14

Final reportANC09LA012
Sign in to save
Date
2008-11-14
Location
Napaskiak, AK, USA
Airport
PAPK
Aircraft
CESSNA 207
Registration
N36CF
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

The pilot's continued flight into adverse weather and icing conditions, and his failure to maintain sufficient airspeed to avoid a stall, resulting in a loss of control and in-flight collision with terrain while on an approach to land.

NTSB narrative

Prior to the accident flight, the operator reported that numerous flights from their base had been canceled or delayed due to poor weather earlier in the day. The weather improved in the afternoon, and the pilot departed on a commuter flight for his first destination, but did not land because of low visibility. The pilot continued to his second destination, and encountered light icing conditions while en route. After landing at his second stop, he deiced the airplane. The pilot then departed on the accident flight to return to his base, where the weather was reported as a ceiling of 500 feet overcast, with a visibility of 5 miles. After departure, the weather at the destination deteriorated, and the pilot decided to divert to an airport about 5 miles from his base. While maneuvering over the airport for landing, the pilot began a descending left turn toward the approach end of runway. The airplane stalled and mushed to the ground, about 250 feet short of the runway threshold. A postcrash fire erupted as the pilot and passenger were exiting the airplane. The pilot reported that when he arrived over the accident airport, the airplane had accumulated some ice, he was about 200 feet agl, and the visibility was about 1 mile. At the time of the accident, the destination airport was reporting, in part, a visibility of 3/4 statute mile in mist, 500 feet broken, with a temperature and dew point of 21 degrees F.

NTSB coding

View NTSB final report

Related mishaps