Cessna P206C accident near Wasilla, Alaska, May 27, 2011
On May 27, 2011 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna P206C, registered N8665Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Wasilla, Alaska (Fairview East airport). It was a skydiving flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 people were 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 directional control during takeoff from an unpaved airstrip, resulting in a collision with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 27, 2011 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wasilla, Alaska · Fairview East · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P206C · all P206Cs on the register
- Registration
- N8665Z · no longer on the register · serial P206-0465
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Skydiving flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During takeoff the airplane, which was taking off for a parachute jump, collided with trees lining the side of the grass runway. The pilot said that a previous flight that day had been uneventful. During the accident takeoff he said he heard a "pop" at rotation and the airplane pulled to the left. He corrected with rudder and aileron, and the airplane drifted right. The right wing struck trees on the right side of the runway and the airplane veered off the runway to the right. The left wing impacted another group of trees and the left main landing wheel separated from the airplane after striking a tree. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. A postaccident examination of the airplane showed no mechanical anomalies that would have contributed to a loss of directional control during takeoff.
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 on ground during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 25,022 hours in all; 253 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 22,206 as pilot in command; 3,673 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 27, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,976 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 20, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5AK Wasilla AK at 3:00 pm
- Destination: 5AK Wasilla AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 3,600 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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 N8665Z 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.