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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
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 October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 2023 · about 8:05 pm local time
- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC23LA067.