Cessna U206G accident near Yakutat, Alaska, July 29, 2004
On July 29, 2004 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna U206G, registered N9178G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Yakutat, Alaska (Yakutat airport). It was a public-use 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, and his failure to secure the cargo door, which resulted in the cargo door coming open during the takeoff roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 2004 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Yakutat, Alaska · Yakutat · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna U206G · all U206Gs on the register
- Registration
- N9178G · registry record · serial U20603803
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The operator of the Title 14, CFR Part 91 flight reported that during the takeoff roll, the aft cargo door opened and struck the fuselage, which resulted in substantial damage to several fuselage stringers. The operator noted that the pilot had opened the cargo door prior to the accident flight to load equipment. Postaccident inspection by the operator's maintenance personnel disclosed no mechanical problem with the door, and the operator reported the door could not be inadvertently opened when it was properly closed and latched.
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: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,958 hours in all; 114 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 2,958 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 9, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,841 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 19, 2004; 67 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAYA Yakutat AK at 1:00 pm
- Destination: Dry Bay AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 11, 7,745 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC04LA099.