Cessna 207 accident near Chefornak, Alaska, February 7, 2008
On February 7, 2008 at about 2:15 pm local time, a Cessna 207, registered N7380U, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Chefornak, Alaska (Chefornak airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 failure to maintain control of the airplane during the landing flare/touchdown.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 7, 2008 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Chefornak, Alaska · Chefornak · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 207 · all 207s on the register
- Registration
- N7380U · no longer on the register · serial 20700428
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial certificated pilot was landing on a snow-covered runway at the conclusion of a Title 14, CFR Part 91, cross-country positioning flight. The pilot reported that he had a crosswind of about 15 knots, oriented about 30 degrees to the right of the runway heading. As the airplane was in the landing flare, the pilot said that a gust of wind pushed the airplane to the left. The right main landing gear tire touched down to the left of the runway centerline. The pilot attempted to correct the position of the airplane, and attempted to abort the landing, but the left elevator struck an unknown object, and the airplane pivoted to the left. The nose landing gear was torn off, and airplane came to rest along the left side of the runway.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520F (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flight Alaska Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: PABE Bethel AK
- Destination: PACK Chefornak AK
- Runway 34, 2,500 ft by 35 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: -9°F (-23°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N7380U 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.