Robertson C-U206F accident near Near Nondalton, Alaska, September 17, 1982
On September 17, 1982 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Robertson C-U206F, registered N33249, was destroyed in an accident near Near Nondalton, Alaska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 4 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 17, 1982 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Near Nondalton, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robertson C-U206F
- Registration
- N33249 · no longer on the register · serial U20602694
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM HUDSON LAKE THE LEFT WINGTIP CONTACTED THE WATER CAUSING THE ACFT TO CARTWHEEL. THE ACFT CAME TO REST INVERTED & FLOATED FOR A SHORT TIME BEFORE SINKING. A WITNESS REPORTED THE WAVES ON THE LAKE WERE AT LEAST 4 FT HIGH & BREAKING OVER THE FLOATS, & THE WX WAS THE WORST HE HAS SEEN SINCE ARRIVING IN LATE MAY OF 1982. THE WITNESS REITERATED GALE FORCE WINDS & HEAVY RAIN. HE ALSO STATED THE WAVES IN THE COVE WHERE THE TAKEOFF STARTED WERE OPPOSITE TO THE DIRECTION OF TAKEOFF & THE WAVES WERE NOT A TRUE INDICATION OF THE WIND DIRECTION. THE WAVES WERE ALMOST 90 DEG DIFFERENT THAN THE WAVES IN THE CENTER OF THE LAKE. HE SAID IT WAS DIFFICULT TO TELL WHEN THE ACFT GOT ON STEP BECAUSE IT WAS BOUNCING AROUND BADLY & THE WATER WAS HITTING THE STRUTS. THE ONLY PERSON HE COULD SEE WEARING ANY FLOTATION DEVICE WAS THE PLT. ALL THE LIFE VESTS WERE LOCATED UNDER EACH PASSENGER SEAT SECURED IN A POUCH BY METAL TWISTS FASTENERS.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,863 hours in all; 81 in this make and model; 348 in the last 90 days; 104 in the last 30 days; 2,567 as pilot in command; 919 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,428 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Near Nondalton AK at 9:30 am
- Destination: Z30 Port Alsworth AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 23 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 120°F (49°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:00 am from ILI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.