Cessna 206 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, November 20, 1993
On November 20, 1993 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Cessna 206, registered N7586Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Merrill Field). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FROZEN THROTTLE CABLE DUE TO MOISTURE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 20, 1993 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Merrill Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 206 · all 206s on the register
- Registration
- N7586Z · registry record · serial 20606371
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TAKE OFF THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO REDUCE THE POWER BY RETARDING THE THROTTLE. THE THROTTLE WAS STIFF AND HE APPLIED MORE PRESSURE AND THEN IT JERKED OUT AND HE WAS ONLY ABLE TO MAINTAIN 1000 RPM ON HIS ENGINE. MANIPULATION OF THE THROTTLE DID NOT CHANGE THE RPM. HE WAS FORCED TO LAND ON A TAXIWAY AND THE AIRPLANE STRUCK TWO PARKED VEHICLES DURING THE ROLL OUT. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE SHOWED THAT THE THROTTLE CABLE HAD FROZEN DUE TO MOISTURE. THE PILOT STATED HE PREHEATED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT TO A WARM TEMPERATURE.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 12,500 hours in all; 3,500 in this make and model; 270 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days; 12,300 as pilot in command; 200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,423 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 28, 1993; 13 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: Cantwell AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 15, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 90 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: -9°F (-23°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.