Cessna P206C accident near Talkeetna, Alaska, September 2, 1990
On September 2, 1990 at about 8:01 am local time, a Cessna P206C, registered N8646Z, was destroyed in an accident near Talkeetna, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE FOR TERRAIN CLEARANCE. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, AND THE DARK NIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 2, 1990 · about 8:01 am local time
- Place
- Talkeetna, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P206C · all P206Cs on the register
- Registration
- N8646Z · no longer on the register · serial P206-0446
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A WX BRIEFING THE PILOT WAS ADVISED THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED, PASSES WERE CLOSED, AND THAT TWO PILOT REPORTS INDICATED CLOUDS WERE TO THE GROUND NEAR A PASS. THE PILOT SUBSEQUENTLY CONTACTED ANCHORAGE APPROACH CONTROL STATING HE WAS 73 MI NORTH OF ANCHORAGE, LANDING, AND REQUESTED TRAFFIC SEPARATION AND RADAR VECTORS. APPROACH REPLIED THAT THE PILOT WAS TOO FAR NORTH FOR COVERAGE, AND TO MAINTAIN VFR CONDITIONS. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED AT THE 4,000-FT LEVEL OF A 4,500-FT HIGH RIDGE/MOUNTAIN, IN AN AREA NEAR WHERE THE MINIMUM ENROUTE ALTITUDE (MEA), OR MINIMUM OBSTRUCTION ALTITUDE (MOCA), CHANGE FROM 10,000 FT TO 7,500 FT SOUTHBOUND.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 580 hours in all; 325 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,751 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 15, 1989; 241 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: GAL Galena AK at 10:45 pm
- Destination: ANC Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 am from TKA, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.