Cessna 207A accident near Saint Marys, Alaska, June 17, 1986
On June 17, 1986 at about 3:55 am local time, a Cessna 207A, registered N9699M, was destroyed in an accident near Saint Marys, Alaska (Saint Marys airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was killed. 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
- June 17, 1986 · about 3:55 am local time
- Place
- Saint Marys, Alaska · Saint Marys · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 207A · all 207As on the register
- Registration
- N9699M · no longer on the register · serial 2070718
- 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
THE PILOT STALLED THE AIRPLANE WHILE MAKING A STEEP TURN TO AVOID HIGH VOLTAGE POWER LINES. THE AIRPLANE CAUGHT FIRE ON IMPACT AND THE AIR TAXI PILOT SUBSEQUENTLY DIED OF EXTENSIVE THERMAL INJURIES. THE PLT WAS FLYING IN FORMATION WITH ANOTHER ACFT AT LOW ALT. WHEN THE PWR LINES WERE SIGHTED THE OTHER ACFT SUCCESSFULLY PULLED UP AND AVOIDED THE WIRES. THE ACC PLT TURNED STEEPLY AND LOST CONTROL OF THE ACFT BEFORE CRASHING.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,644 hours in all; 2,293 in this make and model; 282 in the last 90 days; 2,632 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,858 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 8, 1986; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-F (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: MLL Marshall AK at 10:55 pm
- Destination: KSM Saint Marys AK
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:08 am from KSM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.