Cessna U206G accident near Skwentna, Alaska, August 14, 2023
On August 14, 2023 at about 6:20 pm local time, a 1980 Cessna U206G, registered N4891Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Skwentna, Alaska. 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 airplane’s float contacted an undetected submerged gravel bar during landing which resulted in a nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 14, 2023 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Skwentna, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna U206G, built 1980 · all U206Gs on the register
- Registration
- N4891Z · registry record · serial U20606044
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While landing on a river and coming off the float step, the airplane’s float contacted an undetected submerged gravel bar in shallow water. The airplane pivoted, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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 landing defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › (general) › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › (general) › Awareness of condition
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: glider; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 17,653 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 253 in the last 90 days; 107 in the last 30 days; 9,553 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 18,019 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 3, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-F (piston); 5,191 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PALH Anchorage AK at 5:40 pm
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft; a few clouds at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 58°F (14°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on October 26, 2023. 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 | Investigation Photograph | 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.
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.