Cessna 208 accident near Dillingham, Alaska, September 3, 1991
On September 3, 1991 at about 5:53 pm local time, a Cessna 208, registered N9438F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dillingham, Alaska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INATTENTIVE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION WHICH RESULTED IN HIS FAILURE TO PROPERLY SECURE THE ENGINE OIL TUBE FILLER CAP RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF ENGINE OIL AND OIL PRESSURE AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY COMPENSATE FOR WIND CONDITIONS DURING THE FORCED LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE ENGINE FAILURE AND SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING ON SOFT TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 3, 1991 · about 5:53 pm local time
- Place
- Dillingham, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 208 · all 208s on the register
- Registration
- N9438F · no longer on the register · serial 00053
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- 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 IN COMMAND PERFORMED A PREFLIGHT AND CHECKED THE OIL BY REMOVING THE DIP STICK/OIL FILLER CAP. AFTER 10 TO 15 MINUTES OF FLIGHT TIME, THE PILOT NOTICED A DECREASE IN THE TORQUE INDICATION AND ENGINE OIL PRESSURE. HE ELECTED TO RETURN TO DILLINGHAM AND ENROUTE THE ENGINE LOST MORE OIL PRESSURE AND 'COUGHED' TWICE AND THE PILOT FEATHERED THE PROPELLER AND LANDED ON THE TUNDRA. UPON LANDING THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. THE ON SITE INSPECTION SHOWED THAT THE LEFT, LOWER SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE WAS COVERED WITH OIL AND THE OIL DIP STICK/FILLER CAP WAS NOT INSTALLED IN THE FILLER NECK. IT WAS RESTING ON THE INSIDE OF THE UPPER COWLING BECAUSE THE AIRPLANE WAS UPSIDE DOWN. THE BRIEF SHOWS THAT THE PILOT WAS THE HOLDER OF AN AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT CERTIFICATE BECAUSE THE COMPUTER DATABASE PROGRAM WILL NOT ACCEPT A COMMERCIAL PILOT RATING WHILE SHOWING A SCHEDULED 14 CFR 135, PASSENGER/CARGO TYPE OF OPERATION. THE PILOT IS ONLY THE HOLDER OF A COMMERCIAL PILOT CERTIFICATE.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,222 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 341 in the last 90 days; 129 in the last 30 days; 1,896 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,080 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 4, 1991; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,000 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-114 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Markair Express INC.
The flight
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°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.
Other NTSB records under N9438F the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.