Cessna U206F accident near Chinitna Bay, Alaska, August 28, 2023
On August 28, 2023 at about 8:05 pm local time, a 1973 Cessna U206F, registered N1733R, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Chinitna Bay, Alaska. It was a business flight under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control on takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 2023 · about 8:05 pm local time · cases in 2023
- Place
- Chinitna Bay, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna U206F, built 1973 · all U206Fs on the register
- Registration
- N1733R · registry record · serial U20602068
- 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 during takeoff from a remote beach site, soft sand pulled the airplane to the left, so she aborted the takeoff and repositioned for a second attempt. During the second takeoff attempt, just prior to rotation, the airplane’s right wheel contacted the water, which pivoted the airplane to the right, and it nosed down into the shallow water. The right wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- 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 › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Wet surface › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Soft surface › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,351 hours in all; 310 in this make and model; 220 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 1,277 as pilot in command; 573 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 17, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,862 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 8, 2023; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520DCF (piston); 3,339 hours total
- Operator: Alaska Skyways Inc
The flight
- Destination: PALH Anchorage AK
- Runway N/A, 5,000 ft by 35 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,100 ft; a few clouds at 600 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from PAHO, 51 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAHO 281953Z 22004KT 7SM -RA FEW006 FEW012 OVC041 12/10 A2986 RMK AO2 SLP113 P0003 T01170100
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – View of fuselage and right wing after recovery
Photograph 2 – View of right side wing root
Photograph 3 – View of the airplane in the water where it came to rest.The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on April 4, 2024. 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 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N1733R on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna U206 Stationair 798 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,677 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental IO-520DCF 9,482 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Lake Hood Airport · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Alaska 5,932 since 1982 · 823 in the last ten years
- Alaska 9,143 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ANC23LA067.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.