Cessna 206G accident near Whittier, Alaska, April 17, 1996
On April 17, 1996 at about 10:55 pm local time, a Cessna 206G, registered N244PL, was destroyed in an accident near Whittier, Alaska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions. Factors in the accident were low ceilings and whiteout conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 17, 1996 · about 10:55 pm local time
- Place
- Whittier, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 206G · all 206Gs on the register
- Registration
- N244PL · no longer on the register · serial U20604371
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated airline transport pilot and a passenger were attempting to cross a glacier covered mountain pass during a VFR on-demand charter flight in a single engine amphibious float equipped airplane. The pilot had flown the same route several times throughout the day and planned to take a look at the weather conditions to assess the feasibility of crossing the pass. As the flight approached the pass, the visibility began decreasing in light rain drizzle and haze. The pilot began to turn away from the pass but then recognized a known glacier, about 2 miles from his position. The airplane then entered a whiteout condition. The pilot indicated that he lowered the wing flaps and entered a 40 degree bank to the right to begin a 180 degree turn away from the pass. About 2 seconds later, the airplane collided with snow covered terrain. The passenger reported that as the flight approached the pass, the forward visibility decreased to zero in clouds. The airplane collided with rising terrain to the left of the pass area.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,500 hours in all; 2,200 in this make and model; 78 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 5,400 as pilot in command; 20 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,800 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1996; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-F1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Main Bay AK at 5:00 pm
- Destination: Z41 Anchorage AK
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.