Cessna 208B accident near Chevak, Alaska, March 13, 2021
On March 13, 2021 at about 1:45 am local time, a 1997 Cessna 208B, registered N407GV, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (into takeoff position) near Chevak, Alaska (Chevak airport). It was a business flight under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s loss of directional control during the back-taxi for departure in strong crosswind conditions which resulted in a runway excursion. Contributing to the accident was the snow-and-ice-covered runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 13, 2021 · about 1:45 am local time
- Place
- Chevak, Alaska · Chevak · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 208B, built 1997 · all 208Bs on the register
- Registration
- N407GV · registry record · serial 208B0616
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, while back-taxiing for departure, on a snow-and-ice-covered runway in a strong crosswind, the airplane began to slide towards the left side of the runway. He corrected for the slide back towards the runway center line, but the airplane encountered a “violent gust of wind” and began to slide again. He applied right brake and right rudder while leaving in full right aileron, but the airplane had zero braking action. As the airplane continued to slide, he applied engine power in an attempt to increase the rudder authority and “correct the direction back towards the runway” to no avail. Subsequently, the airplane slid off the left side of the runway, the left wheel impacted a snowbank, and the airplane “tipped” to the left. The airplane came to rest in a nose down attitude, banked to the left at about a 40° angle, and sustained substantial damage to the left wing and aileron. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot added that the weather at the accident airport, about the time of the accident, was wind from 120° at 20 knots. The pilot was back taxiing on runway 20.
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
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during taxi (into takeoff position)
- Loss of control on ground during taxi (into takeoff position) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during taxi (into takeoff position)
- Miscellaneous/other during taxi (into takeoff position)
- Other weather encounter during taxi (into takeoff position)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Crosswind correction › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Response/compensation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Snow/slush/ice covered surface › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,643 hours in all; 645 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 2,551 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 7, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 27,418.2 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, January 13, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 9,097 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-114A (turboprop); 3,730 hours total
- Operator: Grant Aviation
The flight
- Destination: BET Bethel AK
- Runway 02-2, 3,220 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 34 knots, gusting 42
- Visibility: 0.5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 700 ft
- Temperature: 18°F (-8°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.31 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from PACZ, 19 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PACZ 130155Z AUTO 14034G42KT 1/2SM -FZRA FG BKN007 BKN043 M08/M10 A3031
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N407GV 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.