Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chalkyitsik, Alaska 99788
Wednesday, September 10, 2003 18:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The commercial pilot was departing from a 1,500 foot-long gravel-covered site, which required a correction for a strong right crosswind. Just after takeoff, the airplane drifted to the left, and the main landing gear wheels struck a stand of brush. The airplane subsequently descended towards an area of rough and uneven terrain. As the pilot was attempting to gain altitude, the airplane stalled, and the nose wheel struck a large ditch at the departure end of the site. The airplane nosed over, and sustained structural damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. According to the company owner, there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions, and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed during takeoff, which resulted in an in-flight collision with brush, and subsequent stall of the airplane. Factors associated with the accident were a crosswind, high vegetation (brush), and an inadvertent stall.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/10/2003
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1800
Event Time Zone --
Event City Chalkyitsik
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99788
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator --
On Ground Collision occurred ? --
Event Location Latitude 682834N
Event Location Longitude 1422633W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 182
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 15258
NTSB Notification Source ANC FAA, ROC
NTSB Notification Date Sep 10 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1945
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 28 2004 3:34PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Fairbanks FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N710MH
NTSB Number ANC03LA113
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 206
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number U20602383
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 12 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 26
Airframe Hours 3692
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Renald J. Drouin
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O.Box 30035
Aircraft Owner City Central
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99730
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Dawn E. Foster
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. Box 30035
Operator City Central
Operator State AK
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 99730
Operator Code C6VC
Owner has at least one certificate --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City CHALKYITSIK
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1800
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CHP
Destination City CIRCLE HOT SPGS
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - roll/run
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Feb 27 2004 2:35PM
User who most recently changed record PETL
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --