Cessna T207A accident near King Salmon, Alaska, July 21, 2013
On July 21, 2013 at about 7:50 pm local time, a Cessna T207A, registered N499K, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near King Salmon, Alaska (King Salmon Airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 6 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadequate visual lookout while departing from a multiple-use waterway, which resulted in a collision with a drifting boat. Contributing to the accident were the lack of visual conspicuity of the boat and the limited amount of time the boat operator had to maneuver the boat once he heard and saw the oncoming airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 21, 2013 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- King Salmon, Alaska · King Salmon Airport · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- 6 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T207A · all T207As on the register
- Registration
- N499K · registry record · serial 20700632
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot was conducting a scheduled commuter flight with six passengers on board the float-equipped airplane. The pilot began the takeoff going up the left side of the river and was aware of boats on the right side of the river. The pilot brought the airplane to the step-taxi position and then backed off the power with the intent to apply full power and take off once the airplane was past the boats. The airplane subsequently struck an18.5-ft open fishing boat and nosed over inverted in the water. The pilot and the passengers reported that they never saw the boat that the airplane hit. The boat operator reported that the boat was idling in neutral as it drifted downriver when he heard and then saw the airplane coming straight toward his boat. The boat operator put the boat into reverse to try to avoid the collision, but, as he backed the boat away, the airplane struck the front right side of it with its left float. The pilot noted that the boat (which was small and olive-drab colored) may have visually blended with other boats and seaplanes parked along the side of the river, and the boat operator said that seaplanes were sometimes difficult to hear when coming from downriver. Both the pilot and the boat operator were familiar with operating in the multiple-use waterway, and each of them were aware of the presence of both seaplane and boat traffic on the morning of the accident. There are no separate designated areas for seaplane traffic and boat traffic in the area in which the accident occurred, and there is no radio contact between the pilots and the boat operators. Although regulations specify right-of-way rules for aircraft and vessels conducting water operations and provide course alteration rules based on their respective positions, the pilot never saw the boat to determine its relative position, and, by the time the boat operator saw the airplane's position, the collision was imminent.
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
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Ground vehicle › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Operating environment › Air traffic/operating proc › Traffic congestion › Not specified
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusion › (general) › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,770 hours in all; 4,675 in this make and model; 118 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 12,650 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,536 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 12, 2013; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20S (turboprop); 7,609 hours total
- Operator: Katmai Air LLC
The flight
- Departed from: King Salmon AK
- Destination: Brooks Camp AK
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 700 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 6 |
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.