Cessna 208B accident near Healy, Alaska, September 23, 2025
On September 23, 2025, a 2002 Cessna 208B, registered N976E, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Healy, Alaska (Decker Airstrip airport). It was a business flight under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 4 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 during the departure roll resulting in a collision with a tractor/loader.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 23, 2025
- Place
- Healy, Alaska · Decker Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 208B, built 2002 · all 208Bs on the register
- Registration
- N976E · registry record · serial 208B0976
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the departure roll from a remote, rough, and uneven gravel-and-dirt airstrip, the airplane encountered a bounce. As a result, the pilot’s foot inadvertently slipped off the rudder pedal, leading to a loss of directional control. The airplane veered to the left, toward a tractor/loader parked adjacent to the airstrip. The pilot elected to abort the takeoff; however, during the deviation, the airplane passed the tractor/loader on its left side. Although the pilot was able to bring the airplane to a stop, she was unaware that the left wing had struck the tractor/loader. Subsequently, the pilot taxied the airplane back to the departure end of the airstrip and conducted another takeoff, which was uneventful. The flight continued to the intended destination without further incident. Following arrival, a postflight inspection revealed substantial damage to the left wing spar cap assembly consistent with impact with the tractor/loader. The operator reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.
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 takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,600 hours in all; 5,000 in this make and model; 351 in the last 90 days; 134 in the last 30 days; 13,300 as pilot in command; 4,500 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 27, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- 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: 23,804.6 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, September 1, 2025; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,062 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt And Whitney PT6A-140 (turboprop); 3,051 hours total
- Operator: Wright Air Service INC
The flight
- Destination: PAFA Fairbanks AK
- Runway 1, 2,250 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Weather report (METAR): METAR PAFA 230053Z 26008KT 10SM -DZ SCT022 BKN028 OVC034 06/03 A294
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Left wing of accident airplane
Photograph 2 – Damage to lower spar cap in the left wingThe 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 June 22, 2026. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 3 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.
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.