Cessna U206C accident near Gulkana, Alaska, July 25, 2025
On July 25, 2025, a 1968 Cessna U206C, registered N29110, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Gulkana, Alaska (Gulkana 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadequate fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 25, 2025
- Place
- Gulkana, Alaska · Gulkana Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna U206C, built 1968 · all U206Cs on the register
- Registration
- N29110 · registry record · serial U206-1080
- 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 on short final, the engine lost all power. The pilot switched fuel tanks and activated the fuel boost pump; however, engine power was not restored. The airplane subsequently touched down about 100 ft short of the runway approach threshold and nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and vertical stabilizer. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the left fuel tank was empty, and the right fuel tank was full; no anomalies were discovered with the fuel selector. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The operator stated that the accident could have been prevented with the proper use of the prelanding checklist.
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
- Fuel starvation during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,361 hours in all; 309 in this make and model; 140 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days; 1,241 as pilot in command; 114 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 15, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,568 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 18, 2025; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-F43B (piston); 2,581 hours total
- Operator: Copper Valley Air Service LLC
The flight
- Departed from: GKN Glennallen AK at 9:50 pm
- Runway 33L, 2,300 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from AGK, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAGK 242353Z AUTO VRB03KT 10SM FEW080 21/04 A2997 RMK AO2 SLP153 6//// T02060039 TSNO $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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 ANC25LA078.