Cessna 207A accident near Platinum, Alaska, June 7, 2012
On June 7, 2012, a Cessna 207A, registered N9874M, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Platinum, Alaska (Platinum airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot inadvertently taxied the airplane into a ditch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 7, 2012
- Place
- Platinum, Alaska · Platinum · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 207A · all 207As on the register
- Registration
- N9874M · no longer on the register · serial 20700745
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was taxiing the airplane through an unmarked ramp area to an adjacent taxiway when he inadvertently taxied into a ditch, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane’s right wing. The operator stated that the accident could have been prevented had the ramp and taxiway edges been marked with lights or cones.
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
- Ground collision during taxi (from runway) defining event
- Airport occurrence during taxi (from runway)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Operating environment › Airport facilities/design › Taxiway markings/signage › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,871 hours in all; 827 in this make and model; 184 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 15, 2012
- Medical certificate: None (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 22,666 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, May 31, 2012; 10 hours since
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-520-F (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Grant Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: PABE Bethel AK at 6:10 pm
- Destination: PAPM Platinum AK
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; a few clouds at 1,400 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from PAPM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 N9874M 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.