Cessna 206 accident near King Salmon, Alaska, June 7, 2024
On June 7, 2024 at about 11:05 pm local time, a 1977 Cessna 206, registered N756CL, was substantially damaged in an accident during emergency descent near King Salmon, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
A partial loss of engine power due to detonation/preignition of the No. 1 cylinder for reasons that could not be determined.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 7, 2024 · about 11:05 pm local time
- Place
- King Salmon, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 206, built 1977 · all 206s on the register
- Registration
- N756CL · registry record · serial U20603983
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, shortly after takeoff, he observed high engine oil temperature and began to turn back to the airport. The engine began losing power, and the pilot performed a forced landing in the tundra, which resulted in substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer and elevator. Examination of the engine revealed that the No. 1 piston was eroded down to the steel ring lands and scuff marks were observed on the side of the piston skirt. The No. 1 cylinder upper and lower spark plugs had molten aluminum deposits covering the electrodes and insulators. The crankshaft rod journals exhibited evidence of foreign material contamination in the oil. The Nos. 2 and 5 crankshaft rod journals had severe thermal discoloration. All connecting rod bearings exhibited abnormal wear. Connecting rod bearings No. 2 and 5 were severely damaged. The observed damage was consistent with a detonation/pre-ignition event; however, the reasons for the detonation/pre-ignition could not be determined based on the available information.
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 engine power (partial) during emergency descent defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Power plant › (general) › Malfunction
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 162 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 1,498 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 30, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 12,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 3, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,598.8 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 2, 2023; 57.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO550F17B (piston); 1,282 hours total
- Operator: Egli Air Haul Service
The flight
- Departed from: PAKN King Salmon AK at 10:50 pm
- Destination: PAIG Igiugig AK
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 20 knots, gusting 32
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 pm from PAKN, 3 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAKN 072354Z 09020G32KT 10SM BKN065 12/01 A2998 RMK AO2 PK WND 10032/2351 SLP150 T01170006 10122 20094 58009
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
Other NTSB records under N756CL the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 ANC24LA045.