Cessna 207 accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, September 1, 2008
On September 1, 2008 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Cessna 207, registered N91027, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Fairbanks, Alaska (Peede Airstrip airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's delay in aborting the landing. A factor contributing to the accident was a variable wind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 2008 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska · Peede Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 207 · all 207s on the register
- Registration
- N91027 · no longer on the register · serial 20700018
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot related that he was attempting to land at a rough and uneven remote airstrip, which was surrounded by mountainous terrain. He added that the southerly approach to the airstrip required a correction for variable, easterly winds between 5 and 10 knots. He said that just before touchdown he elected to add engine power to avoid an area of rough terrain on the northern end of the site. The airplane ballooned, and landed about mid-length along the 1,500 foot-long, by 30 feet-wide airstrip. After touchdown, the pilot realized that he would be unable to stop the airplane before reaching the end of the airstrip, and he added full engine power to abort the landing, but the airplane failed to become airborne again. The airplane continued off the south end of the site, down an embankment, and into a creek bed. The airplane sustained structural damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
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
- Landing area overshoot during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Variable wind › Contributed to outcome
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,272 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 318 in the last 90 days; 114 in the last 30 days; 4,974 as pilot in command; 953 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 8, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,457 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 21, 2008; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental Motors IO-550-F (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Wright Air Service, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: FAI Fairbanks AK at 4:40 pm
- Destination: . Fairbanks AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 18, 1,500 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.70 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
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.