Cessna 208B accident near Kwigillingok, Alaska, February 17, 2010
On February 17, 2010 at about 8:57 pm local time, a Cessna 208B, registered N207DR, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Kwigillingok, Alaska (Kwigillingok Airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to take off with ice-contaminated wings in freezing rain and mist, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 17, 2010 · about 8:57 pm local time
- Place
- Kwigillingok, Alaska · Kwigillingok Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 208B · all 208Bs on the register
- Registration
- N207DR · registry record · serial 208B0859
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Passengers reported that prior to departing on the accident flight they observed ice on the wings and described the weather as foggy, with freezing rain. Shortly after takeoff, at an estimated 200 feet above the ground, the pilot reported a series of power fluctuations, coinciding with a loss of altitude. The pilot stated that he engaged the emergency power lever, and that power was restored, but not before the airplane collided with a frozen lake, damaging the right wing. The airplane subsequently became airborne, and the pilot elected to fly to another village to land. A postaccident inspection disclosed no mechanical anomalies with the engine or its accessories, and the airplane was flown to its base after the wing was repaired without any engine problems noted. A weather study by a Safety Board meteorologist determined that the area was subject to light snow showers, freezing fog and mist, and surface temperatures below freezing, all conducive to wing/airframe icing. During an interview with Federal Aviation Administration inspectors, the pilot acknowledged seeing “a trace of ice” on the wings. The limitations section of the airplane's flight manual supplement "Known Icing Equipment," states, in part: "Takeoff is prohibited with any frost, ice, snow, or slush adhering to the wings, horizontal stabilizer, vertical stabilizer, control surfaces, proper blades, or engine inlets." The limitations section also includes the following: "WARNING, EVEN SMALL AMOUNTS OF FROST, ICE, SNOW OR SLUSH ON THE WING MAY ADVERSELY CHANGE LIFT AND DRAG. FAILURE TO REMOVE THESE CONTAMINANTS WILL DEGRADE AIRPLANE PERFORMANCE AND MAY PREVENT A SAFE TAKEOFF AND CLIMBOUT."
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
- Structural icing during initial climb defining event
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to structural icing › Decision related to condition
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Wing structure › (general) › Damaged/degraded
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 30,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 164 in the last 90 days; 126 in the last 30 days; 29,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 15, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,994 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, February 11, 2010; 49 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,550 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W Canada PT6A-114 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Grant Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: GGV Kwigillingok AK at 8:55 pm
- Destination: AKI Kipnuk AK
- Runway 33, 2,510 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft
- Temperature: 23°F (-5°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.67 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 7 |
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 N207DR 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.