Cessna U206G accident near Nanwalek, Alaska, March 5, 2010
On March 5, 2010 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna U206G, registered N734JM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Nanwalek, Alaska (Nanwalek Airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 2 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 land on a short, icy runway with poor braking action, resulting in a runway overrun/excursion and collision with a snowbank.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 5, 2010 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Nanwalek, Alaska · Nanwalek Airport · 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
- N734JM · no longer on the register · serial U20604839
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Prior to touchdown on the snow and ice covered gravel runway with 850 feet of usable length, the pilot reported that the airplane floated a little, but the touchdown point and touchdown were normal. When he applied the brakes, he indicated that there was very little to no braking action. The airplane slid towards the right while in a left yaw, which he was able to correct when the braking action improved. The airplane continued to the end of the runway and impacted a snowbank. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical problems with the airplane. He noted that he walked the runway after the accident, and determined that the braking action would have been slightly better had he landed in the opposite direction. The US Department of Transportation’s Alaska Airport Supplement indicates that the runway should be visually checked for condition before use.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Landing distance › Capability exceeded
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Snow/slush/ice covered › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 4,800 as pilot in command; 490 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 5, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 15,676 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, March 3, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Smokey Bay Air INC
The flight
- Departed from: PAHO Homer AK at 8:00 pm
- Destination: KEB Nanwalek AK
- Runway 01, 850 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 28.69 inHg
- Observation at 8:19 pm from PASO, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.