Cessna 208B accident near Bethel, AK
On November 26, 1996, a Cessna 208B (airplane) was involved in an accident near Bethel, AK. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- November 26, 1996
- Place
- Bethel, AK
- Aircraft
- Cessna 208B · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 60.810°N, 161.850°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X06989
NTSB summary
History of the Flight On November 26,1996, at 1101 Alaska standard time, a Cessna 208B, N4704B, crashed into snow covered terrain following takeoff from the Bethel Airport, Bethel, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country cargo flight under Title 14 CFR Part 135 when the accident occurred. The airplane, registered to and operated as flight 1604 by Arctic Transportation Services, Anchorage, Alaska, was destroyed. The certificated airline transport pilot, the sole occupant, received fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. VFR company flight following procedures were in effect. At 1057:56, the pilot contacted the Bethel Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) ground control and requested a southwest departure. The air traffic control specialist cleared the flight for taxi to runway 36. The pilot then contacted the Bethel ATCT local controller, and at 1059:39, the pilot was cleared for takeoff. The pilot did not communicate with the Bethel ATCT after takeoff. Following departure, the company dispatcher attempted to contact the pilot to obtain his liftoff time. The pilot stated "stand by." After departure from runway 36, tower personnel observed the airplane in a left turn back toward the airport at an estimated altitude of 100 to 200 feet above the ground. The angle of bank increased and the nose of the airplane suddenly dropped toward the ground. The airplane struck the ground in a nose and left wing low attitude about 1101:55, about 1 mile west of the airport. The accident occurred during the hours of daylight at latitu
Probable cause
failure of the pilot to maintain control of the airplane, while maneuvering to reverse direction after takeoff, after encountering an undetermined anomaly. The undetermined anomaly was a related factor.
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Browse: Alaska · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
