Cessna 208B accident near Tununak, Alaska, February 24, 2002
On February 24, 2002 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Cessna 208B, registered N454SF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tununak, Alaska (Tununak airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing. Factors associated with the accident are snow drifts across the runway, and excessive braking during the rearward roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 24, 2002 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Tununak, Alaska · Tununak · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 208B · all 208Bs on the register
- Registration
- N454SF · registry record · serial 208B0797
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing roll, the pilot braked to a stop with the nose wheel atop a snow drift. The pilot released the brakes and the airplane rolled backward. When the pilot reapplied the brakes the aircraft rocked rearward, pivoting on the main landing gear, and the tail struck the ground, damaging two fuselage bulkheads.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,136 hours in all; 1,537 in this make and model; 103 in the last 90 days; 69 in the last 30 days; 4,070 as pilot in command; 758 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 24, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,499.5 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, January 3, 2002; 95.8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,785 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W Canada PT6A-114A (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PABE Bethel AK at 9:40 pm
- Destination: 4KA Tununak AK
- Runway 08, 2,010 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N454SF the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.