Cessna U206 G accident near Near Kotzebue, Alaska, September 21, 1982
On September 21, 1982 at about 11:00 am local time, a Cessna U206 G, registered N5331X, was involved in an accident near Near Kotzebue, Alaska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 4 people were killed, 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. 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 21, 1982 · about 11:00 am local time
- Place
- Near Kotzebue, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed, 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna U206 G · all U206 Gs on the register
- Registration
- N5331X · no longer on the register · serial U20605650
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AIRCRAFT ENGINE LOST POWER OVER WATER OF HOTHAM INLET ON AN AIR TAXI FLIGHT. DUE TO LOW ALTITUDE PILOT HAD TO DITCH THE AIRCRAFT. AIRCRAFT SANK ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. BECAUSE OF PILOT'S RADIO CALL TWO PASSENGERS WERE RESCUED.
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: airline transport pilot, 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: 4,045 hours in all; 440 in this make and model; 390 in the last 90 days; 3,900 as pilot in command; 2,563 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,955 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-F (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Baker Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: IAN Kiana AK
- Destination: OTZ Kotzebue AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 117°F (47°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 | 1 | 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.