Cessna 206 and Piper PA-18-150 mid-air collision near Sterling, Alaska, August 4, 1995
On August 4, 1995 at about 4:00 am local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 206 (N206EJ) and Piper PA-18-150 (N7KA), were involved in a mid-air collision near Sterling, Alaska. No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF BOTH PILOT'S TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT. THE LOW ANGLE OF THE SUN WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
FAILURE OF BOTH PILOT'S TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT. THE LOW ANGLE OF THE SUN WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 1995 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Sterling, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 206 · all 206s on the register
- Registration
- N206EJ · registry record · serial U20602507
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N7KA · registry record · serial 18-7809069
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 206 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF CESSNA 206 FLOATPLANE, N206EJ, MADE A TOUCH-AND-GO LANDING ON A RIVER AND DEPARTED IN A SOUTHBOUND DIRECTION. HE THEN BEGAN A CLIMBING LEFT TURN TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHEAST. IN THE SAME VICINITY, THE PILOT OF PIPER PA-18, N7KA, WAS IN LEVEL FLIGHT ON A WESTERLY HEADING AT ABOUT 1,000 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE TWO AIRPLANES CONVERGED. JUST BEFORE COLLIDING, THE PA-18 PILOT SAW THE CESSNA 206. HE IMMEDIATELY PULLED UP INTO A CLIMB, BUT THE OUTBOARD RIGHT WINGTIP OF THE CESSNA CONTACTED THE LEFT TIRE OF THE PA-18. BOTH AIRPLANES CONTINUED TO THEIR RESPECTIVE DEPARTURE AIRPORTS AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE WEATHER CONDITION AT THE TIME WAS REPORTED AS 4,000 TO 5,000 FEET SCATTERED; VISIBILITY 10 MILES. THE SUN WAS LOCATED ON A 277 DEGREE HEADING FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE AND 16.2 DEGREES ABOVE THE HORIZON.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-18-150 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF CESSNA 206 FLOATPLANE, N206EJ, MADE A TOUCH-AND-GO LANDING ON A RIVER AND DEPARTED IN A SOUTHBOUND DIRECTION. HE THEN BEGAN A CLIMBING LEFT TURN TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHEAST. IN THE SAME VICINITY, THE PILOT OF PIPER PA-18, N7KA, WAS IN LEVEL FLIGHT ON A WESTERLY HEADING AT ABOUT 1,000 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE TWO AIRPLANES CONVERGED. JUST BEFORE COLLIDING, THE PA-18 PILOT SAW THE CESSNA 206. HE IMMEDIATELY PULLED UP INTO A CLIMB, BUT THE OUTBOARD RIGHT WINGTIP OF THE CESSNA CONTACTED THE LEFT TIRE OF THE PA-18. BOTH AIRPLANES CONTINUED TO THEIR RESPECTIVE DEPARTURE AIRPORTS AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE WEATHER CONDITION AT THE TIME WAS REPORTED AS 4,000 TO 5,000 FEET SCATTERED; VISIBILITY 10 MILES. THE SUN WAS LOCATED ON A 277 DEGREE HEADING FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE AND 16.2 DEGREES ABOVE THE HORIZON.
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 for the Cessna 206 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 975 hours in all; 310 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 847 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,800 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 7, 1995; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LHD Anchorage AK at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Piper PA-18-150 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 160 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,506 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 29, 1995; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SXQ Soldotna AK at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 ANC95LA127.