Cessna 208B accident near Egegik, Alaska, May 16, 2004
On May 16, 2004 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Cessna 208B, registered N9820F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Egegik, Alaska (Egegik airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The captain's improper evaluation of the weather conditions and improper decision to taxi the airplane in high gusting wind conditions which resulted in the airplane's right wing striking the ground. A contributing factor was the high gusting wind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 2004 · about 6:15 pm local time · cases in 2004
- Place
- Egegik, Alaska · Egegik · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 208B · all 208Bs on the register
- Registration
- N9820F · registry record · serial 208B0410
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport certificated captain was taxiing the airplane from the parking ramp to the runway for takeoff when the left wing was lifted by a wind gust resulting in the right wing striking the ground. According to the captain, the right wing was bent up 10 to 20 degrees 3 to 4 feet inboard of the wingtip. When the accident occurred, the airplane was turning left from a magnetic heading of approximately 210 degrees to a heading of approximately 120 degrees. The captain estimated the wind was from 110 degrees (magnetic) at 35 knots gusting 40 knots. The Automated Weather Observing Station (AWOS) at the airport reported winds from 150 degrees (true) at 39 knots gusting 48 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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,300 hours in all; 290 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 8,830 as pilot in command; 200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,268 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 9, 2004; 96 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,750 lb
- Seats: 14
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-114A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Peninsula Airways, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: EII Egegik AK at 1:15 pm
- Destination: AKN King Salmon AK
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 39 knots, gusting 48
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.45 inHg
- Observation at 1:16 pm from PAII
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N9820F on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 208 Caravan 1,018 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,682 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-114A 2,218 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Egegik Airport · nearest airport
- King Salmon Airport · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Alaska 5,932 since 1982 · 825 in the last ten years
- Alaska 9,142 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ANC04LA054.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.