Cessna 206 accident near Galena, Alaska, August 31, 2008
On August 31, 2008, a Cessna 206, registered N4886U, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Galena, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The en route loss of engine power due to a mechanic's failure to tighten a fuel line fitting, which became disconnected in flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 31, 2008
- Place
- Galena, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 206 · all 206s on the register
- Registration
- N4886U · registry record · serial U20606144
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported that while in level cruise flight during a Part 91 personal flight, the engine began to run rough and lose power. After seeing the engine fuel pressure fluctuating, the pilot switched fuel tanks. He said the roughness improved momentarily, followed by a strong smell of fuel in the cockpit, which was followed by a complete loss of engine power. Unable to restart the engine, the pilot selected a marshy tree-covered site as a forced landing area. During the forced landing, the airplane collided with trees, and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. During a postaccident examination, an FAA inspector discovered that the main fuel line between the engine driven fuel pump and the main fuel servo assembly was disconnected, and noted that neither the fuel line nor the connectors were damaged during the accident. A review of the airplane's maintenance records revealed that a maintenance technician had removed the fuel line about 1.9 hours before the accident. During an interview with the FAA inspector, the maintenance technician that removed and reinstalled the fuel line stated that he could not specifically recall if he had tightened the fuel line fitting after the initial installation, and presumed he had not.
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
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Maintenance personnel
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine fuel and control › (general) › Incorrect service/maintenance
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,371 hours in all; 36 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 3,371 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 4, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,546 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 20, 2008; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-550-F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Wasilla AK at 4:00 pm
- Destination: Kiana AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 4:00 pm from PAGA, 64 miles away
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.
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.