Cessna U206C accident near Chitina, Alaska, June 9, 2014
On June 9, 2014 at about 9:05 pm local time, a 1968 Cessna U206C, registered N29137, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Chitina, Alaska. 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 failure of the engine’s No. 1 piston connecting rod retaining bolts due to fatigue, which resulted in a total loss of engine power during cruise flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 9, 2014 · about 9:05 pm local time
- Place
- Chitina, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna U206C, built 1968 · all U206Cs on the register
- Registration
- N29137 · no longer on the register · serial U206-1107
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While in level cruise on the scheduled passenger flight, the airline transport pilot heard a loud "bang," followed by a quieter "bang" and a total loss of engine power. He conducted a forced landing to a densely-wooded area, during which the airplane nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the wings and horizontal stabilizer. A visual examination of the engine revealed a crack in the crankcase. A subsequent examination of the No. 1 piston assembly revealed fatigue fractures in both connecting rod retaining bolts. Additional internal damage to the engine was found to be consistent with damage caused by the release of the connecting rod from the crankcase.
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 engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Power plant › (general) › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 27,850 hours in all; 1,800 in this make and model; 160 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 16,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 31, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 65,537 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 27, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors IO-520 (piston); 6,492 hours total
- Operator: Copper Valley Air Service
The flight
- Departed from: GKN Gulkana AK
- Destination: 15Z Mccarthy AK
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
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.