Cessna 207 accident near Shishmaref, Alaska, July 23, 1995
On July 23, 1995 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 207, registered N75738, was substantially damaged in an accident near Shishmaref, Alaska (Serpentine Hot Springs airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY COMPENSATE FOR THE DOWNDRAFT. FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE SHORT, UPHILL RUNWAY, AND DOWNDRAFTS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 1995 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Shishmaref, Alaska · Serpentine Hot Springs · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 207 · all 207s on the register
- Registration
- N75738 · registry record · serial T20700641
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS TAKING OFF FROM A SHORT, UPHILL RUNWAY TOWARDS RISING TERRAIN. TALL BRUSH BORDERED THE END OF THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY. THE PILOT REPORTED THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE ABOUT 3/4 OF THE WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY, BUT SOON ENCOUNTERED DOWNDRAFTS AND WAS UNABLE TO CLIMB. HE SAID THE STALL WARNING HORN WENT OFF, THE AIRPLANE SHUDDERED, AND THEN DESCENDED INTO TALL BRUSH. AN AVIATION MECHANIC WHO WENT TO THE SCENE SAID THE AIRPLANE'S FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH THE BRUSH WAS APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, AND THE AIRPLANE'S MAIN LANDING GEAR MADE TRACKS IN THE DIRT OF THE AIRSTRIP UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET FROM THAT INITIAL IMPACT POINT (APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET FROM DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY).
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,250 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 7,050 as pilot in command; 225 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,888 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 20, 1995; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-F3B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bering Air
The flight
- Destination: OME Nome AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 1,200 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 15 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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 N75738 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.