Cessna 207 accident near Nome, Alaska, February 9, 1989
On February 9, 1989 at about 6:25 pm local time, a Cessna 207, registered N73771, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nome, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER RESULTING FROM FUEL INTERRUPTION DUE TO A BLOCKAGE IN THE ENGINE FUEL PUMP LOW PRESSURE CHECK VALVE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 9, 1989 · about 6:25 pm local time
- Place
- Nome, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 207 · all 207s on the register
- Registration
- N73771 · no longer on the register · serial 20700626
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE TRANSPORT PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT HE EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER TWICE WITHIN A PERIOD OF ABOUT THREE MINUTES. HE WAS ABLE TO REGAIN ENGINE POWER BOTH TIMES, BUT THE SECOND TIME THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED ON A SNOW-COVERED MOUNTAIN SIDE BEFORE THE DESCENT COULD BE STOPPED. A TEAR DOWN AND ANALYSIS OF THE ENGINE FUEL PUMP REVEALED AN EIGHTH INCH LONG THREAD-LIKE METAL SLIVER LODGED UNDER THE LOW PRESSURE CHECK VALVE PLUNGER.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 19,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 83 in the last 90 days; 19,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,537 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 27, 1989; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CIL Council AK at 6:05 pm
- Destination: OME Nome AK
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.