Cessna 208B accident near Toksook Bay, Alaska, February 10, 2004
On February 10, 2004 at about 8:52 pm local time, a Cessna 208B, registered N1276P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Toksook Bay, Alaska (Toksook Bay airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate planning and decision to initiate a takeoff into a crosswind that exceeded the airplane's demonstrated crosswind component, which resulted in a loss of directional control during the takeoff roll, and subsequent collision with terrain and nose over. Factors contributing to the accident were the crosswind, an icy runway, and the pilot's failure to abort the takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 10, 2004 · about 8:52 pm local time · cases in 2004
- Place
- Toksook Bay, Alaska · Toksook Bay · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 208B · all 208Bs on the register
- Registration
- N1276P · no longer on the register · serial 208B0852
- 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 departing on a VFR scheduled commuter flight. The runway was 3,200 feet long and 60 feet wide, and the surface had areas of packed snow and ice. A right crosswind was estimated between 15 to 25 knots. About 300 feet after beginning the takeoff roll, between 30 to 50 knots airspeed, the airplane began to drift to the left, which the pilot was unable to correct. The airplane departed off the left side of the runway and nosed over. The airplane received damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The maximum demonstrated crosswind velocity, takeoff or landing, is 20 knots.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,800 hours in all; 190 in this make and model; 230 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: October 17, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,897 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, January 30, 2004; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,750 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-114A (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OOK Toksook Bay AK at 8:52 pm
- Destination: PAEW Newtok AK
- Runway 34, 3,200 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 28.87 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 6 |
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 N1276P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N1276P: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Cessna 208 Caravan 1,017 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,684 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-114A 2,218 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Toksook Bay Airport · nearest airport
- Mertarvik Airport · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Alaska 5,930 since 1982 · 824 in the last ten years
- Alaska 9,146 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N1276P 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ANC04LA032.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.