Cessna 206 accident near Chena Marina, Alaska, September 16, 1992
On September 16, 1992, a Cessna 206, registered N206RK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chena Marina, Alaska (Chena Marina Strip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT IN COMMANDS'S POOR PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF AIRCRAFT TAKEOFF PERFORMANCE, LACK OF RECENCY OF PIC EXPERIENCE IN TYPE OF OPERATION, LOSS OF AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE TAKEOFF CAPABILITIES, TERRAIN CONDITION OF SOFT WET SNOW.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 16, 1992
- Place
- Chena Marina, Alaska · Chena Marina Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 206 · all 206s on the register
- Registration
- N206RK · registry record · serial U206-1205
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE C206 SKIPLANE DECELERATED UPON ENCOUNTERING DEEP WET SNOW PRIOR TO LIFT OFF. WITNESSES ON BOARD REPORTED THAT THE PILOT ELECTED TO ABORT, VEERED TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID TREES AND STRUCK A DITCH, BRUSH AND IRREGULAR TERRAIN AND NOSED OVER. INVESTIGATION ON SCENE CONFIRMED THE CONDITIONS THAT SUPPORTS FINDINGS OF RUNWAY CONDITIONS. NO SKI ANOMALY WAS FOUND AT SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT OR ON THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE. THE SKI OPERATION MAY HAVE BEEN FIRST OF SEASON, NO EVIDENCE THAT PILOT HAD RECENT EXPERIENCE IN SNOW SKI TAKEOFF. PILOT REPORTED THAT HE BELIEVED THE RIGHT SKI DRAGGED ON TAKEOFF DUE TO LOW TIRE PRESSURE WHICH ALLOWED THE INSERT ON WHICH THE TIRE RESTS TO DRAG IN THE SNOW.
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: 2,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,950 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,470 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Gold King Strip AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 4,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC92LA169.