Cessna 206 accident near Fort Yukon, Alaska, September 2, 1992
On September 2, 1992 at about 1:42 am local time, a Cessna 206, registered N8070Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Yukon, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FATIGUE FAILURE OF AN ENGINE CYLINDER PRECIPITATED BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND INTENTIONALLY EXCEEDING THE ENGINE PERFORMANCE RATINGS IN ORDER TO SUSTAIN FLIGHT IN THE GROSSLY OVERWEIGHT CONDITION. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE HIGH GRASS. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE SEVERITY OF THE PASSENGER'S INJURY WAS THE UNSECURED CARGO.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 2, 1992 · about 1:42 am local time
- Place
- Fort Yukon, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 206 · all 206s on the register
- Registration
- N8070Z · registry record · serial U206-0470
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT LOADED THE 2 PASSENGERS AND GEAR IN THE AIRPLANE TO THE EXTENT THAT IT TOOK SUCCESSIVE ATTEMPTS TO CLOSE THE DOOR DUE TO THE GEAR WHICH 'FILLED UP THE AIRPLANE TO THE ROOF.' THE REAR PAX HAD TO LAY ON TOP OF MEAT AND CAMP SUPPLIES WITH 2 DOGS IN HIS LAP. THE AIRPLANE WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 772 LBS OVER MAX GROSS WEIGHT AT TAKEOFF. AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED SLOWLY FOR APRX 55 MIN AT TAKEOFF POWER. A 'SLEDGEHAMMER' SOUND PRECEDED THE APPEARANCE OF OIL FLOWING INTO THE CABIN AREA. NO REDUCTION OF POWER WAS OBSERVED. THE OIL PRESSURE BEGAN DROPPING RAPIDLY, AND THE PILOT MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON A BEACH. THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER IN GRASS. ENGINE TEARDOWN EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE #6 CYLINDER HAD FAILED THROUGH THE HEAD-TO-BARREL THREADED JOINT. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE FAILURE WAS THE RESULT OF FATIGUE CRACKING IN THE CYLINDER HEAD CASTING. THIS TYPE OF FAILURE OCCURS WHEN THE CYLINDER IS OPERATED AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURES (ABOVE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE) FOR A CONSIDERABLE PERIOD OF TIME.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 4,900 hours in all; 720 in this make and model; 155 in the last 90 days; 148 in the last 30 days; 4,830 as pilot in command; 44.5 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Red Sheep Creek AK at 5:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 7,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N8070Z 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.