Cessna 208 accident near Hooper Bay, Alaska, February 5, 2020
On February 5, 2020, a 1999 Cessna 208, registered N454SF, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Hooper Bay, Alaska (Hooper Bay airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s decision to depart from a contaminated runway, and his failure to make a timely decision to abort the takeoff when the airplane was not accelerating as expected. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to depart in limited visibility conditions, which likely affected his ability to determine the available runway distance remaining during the takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 5, 2020
- Place
- Hooper Bay, Alaska · Hooper Bay · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 208 B, built 1999 · all 208s on the register
- Registration
- N454SF · registry record · serial 208B-0797
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While taking off from a snow-covered runway in instrument meteorological conditions, the pilot stated that the airplane was not gaining speed as expected, but that there was inadequate runway remaining on which to abort the takeoff. The airplane became airborne, and the stall warning horn activated; the airplane subsequently settled back onto the ground, the nose landing gear impacted terrain, and the airplane came to rest upright off the departure end of the runway, resulting in substantial damage.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Low visibility › Effect on personnel
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Snow/slush/ice covered surface › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Snow › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Flat light › Effect on personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,455 hours in all; 1,452 in this make and model; 240 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 3,060 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 9, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 20,344 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, January 24, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 8,750 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-114A (turboprop); 430 hours total
- Operator: Grant Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: HPB Hooper Bay AK
- Destination: BET Bethel AK
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 13, 3,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 1.2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,500 ft; a few clouds at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.07 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from PAHP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| LapC | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 6 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on January 19, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Transcript of Pilot Interview | PDF, 19 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Airport Information | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Training | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Safety Letter | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Safety Letter Response | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Accident Pictures | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N454SF 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.