Cessna 207A accident near Nikiski, Alaska, January 23, 2012
On January 23, 2012 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Cessna 207A, registered N800DF, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Nikiski, Alaska (Mcgahan Industrial 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 improper identification of the runway surface. Contributing to the accident was the snow covering the runway lights.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 23, 2012 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Nikiski, Alaska · Mcgahan Industrial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 207A · all 207As on the register
- Registration
- N800DF · registry record · serial 20700621
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a night landing, the pilot misidentified the runway surface and landed the airplane in a snowbank on the left side of the runway. He stated that most of the runway lights had been covered by heavy snow and were not clearly visible when the airplane was on the straight-in approach. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the horizontal stabilizer.
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 defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Snow/slush/ice covered › Decision related to condition
- factor Environmental issues › Operating environment › Airport facilities/design › Snow removal service/equipment › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,759 hours in all; 2,304 in this make and model; 197 in the last 90 days; 57 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: February 5, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,752 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 23, 2011; 11 hours since
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-520-F (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Rediske Air
The flight
- Departed from: Trading Bay AK at 11:55 am
- Destination: AK73 Nikiski AK
- Runway 07, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 12°F (-11°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Altimeter: 28.98 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from PAEN, 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.
Other NTSB records under N800DF 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.