Cessna U206G N4975U

Summary

On 19 August 2006 at about 18:10 local time, a Cessna U206G registered N4975U was involved in an accident near Whittier, Alaska, United States. 4 people were on board and one was seriously injured, 3 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 August 2006 at 18:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Whittier, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

60.7711, -148.7400

Aircraft

Cessna U206G

Registration

N4975U

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Anchorage → Valdez

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC06LA119

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a collision with terrain while maneuvering to reverse direction in a pass. A factor contributing to the accident was clouds in the pass.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airline transport certificated pilot was transporting three passengers in a float-equipped airplane through a mountain pass during a Title 14, CFR Part 135, on-demand air taxi flight. When the flight arrived in the area of the pass, the pilot noted that the weather conditions at his location included few clouds at 3,000 feet, and a visibility of seven miles. The weather conditions on the other side of the pass included a ceiling of 2,000 feet, and a visibility of two miles. The pilot had flown through the approximately 2.3 mile-long pass numerous times. He noted haze along the right side of the pass, and proceeded to fly along the left side of the pass, about 1,400 feet msl. He was maintaining visual contact with the ground, but after looking up, his view to the front became all white. He started a right turn to reverse course, but the airplane's floats collided with up sloping terrain on the left side of the pass.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.