Cessna 207A accident near Kotlik, Alaska, March 1, 2002
On March 1, 2002 at about 6:35 pm local time, a Cessna 207A, registered N7373U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kotlik, Alaska (Kotlik airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot-in-command to maintain the proper glide path to the runway during the final approach for a VFR landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 1, 2002 · about 6:35 pm local time
- Place
- Kotlik, Alaska · Kotlik · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 207A · all 207As on the register
- Registration
- N7373U · registry record · serial 20700423
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial certificated pilot was on final approach for landing at a remote airport during a scheduled domestic passenger flight. The airplane was about 300 feet above the ground, with 15 degrees of flaps, and an airspeed of about 80 knots. The pilot said that the airplane's airspeed seemed too fast, so he reduced engine power. The airplane's airspeed then became too slow, so he increased engine power, but the airplane collided with terrain short of the runway threshold. The airplane received damage to the nose gear, propeller, and left wing. The runway is 4,422 feet long, by 100 feet wide.
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: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all; 117 in this make and model
- Last flight review: December 14, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,090 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, March 8, 2002; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-F (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hageland Aviation Services INC.
The flight
- Departed from: MOU Mtn. Village AK at 5:38 pm
- Destination: 2A9 Kotlik AK
- Runway 19, 4,422 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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 N7373U 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.