Cessna P206C N8665Z

Summary

On 27 May 2011 at about 20:00 local time, a Cessna P206C registered N8665Z, operated by Walling Susette, was involved in an accident near Wasilla, Alaska, United States. 6 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 May 2011 at 20:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Wasilla, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Fairview East (5AK)

Coordinates

61.5553, -149.3394

Aircraft

Cessna P206C

Registration

N8665Z

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Walling Susette

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Skydiving

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Wasilla → Wasilla

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC11LA038

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff from an unpaved airstrip, resulting in a collision with trees.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During takeoff the airplane, which was taking off for a parachute jump, collided with trees lining the side of the grass runway. The pilot said that a previous flight that day had been uneventful. During the accident takeoff he said he heard a "pop" at rotation and the airplane pulled to the left. He corrected with rudder and aileron, and the airplane drifted right. The right wing struck trees on the right side of the runway and the airplane veered off the runway to the right. The left wing impacted another group of trees and the left main landing wheel separated from the airplane after striking a tree. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. A postaccident examination of the airplane showed no mechanical anomalies that would have contributed to a loss of directional control during takeoff.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.