Amateur-built SC7 and Cessna 207A mid-air collision near Nunapitchuk, Alaska, March 25, 1997
On March 25, 1997 at about 3:23 pm local time, 2 aircraft, amateur-built SC7 (N451SA) and Cessna 207A (N800GA), were involved in a mid-air collision near Nunapitchuk, Alaska (Nunapitchuk airport). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
inadequate visual look-out by the pilots of both airplanes, which resulted in their failure to see-and-avoid each other's airplanes.
inadequate visual look-out by the pilots of both airplanes, which resulted in their failure to see-and-avoid each other's airplanes.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 25, 1997 · about 3:23 pm local time
- Place
- Nunapitchuk, Alaska · Nunapitchuk · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Amateur-built SC7
- Registration
- N451SA · registry record · serial SH-1972
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 207A · all 207As on the register
- Registration
- N800GA · registry record · serial 20700495
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the amateur-built SC7 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of Cessna 207A, N800GA, was returning to his company base, passing about 2 miles north of a remote airstrip that was along the route of flight. The airstrip did not have any control tower. [Communications around an uncontrolled airport are conducted on a common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF)]. The pilot of a Short SC7, N451SA, announced his departure from the same airstrip on the CTAF, and took off in a northerly direction. He then began a climbing right turn toward the same destination as the Cessna 207A was proceeding. The two airplanes collided in mid-air, about 1.49 nautical miles east-northeast of the airstrip, which was about 18.3 miles west of their destination. They were observed spiraling downward from about 800 ft above the ground. Both airplanes were found lying flat and upright on a frozen lake, entangled together at the accident site. The Cessna's burned wreckage was lying on top of (and positioned toward the aft third of) the burned wreckage of the Short SC7.
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 Cessna 207A final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of Cessna 207A, N800GA, was returning to his company base, passing about 2 miles north of a remote airstrip that was along the route of flight. The airstrip did not have any control tower. [Communications around an uncontrolled airport are conducted on a common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF)]. The pilot of a Short SC7, N451SA, announced his departure from the same airstrip on the CTAF, and took off in a northerly direction. He then began a climbing right turn toward the same destination as the Cessna 207A was proceeding. The two airplanes collided in mid-air, about 1.49 nautical miles east-northeast of the airstrip, which was about 18.3 miles west of their destination. They were observed spiraling downward from about 800 ft above the ground. Both airplanes were found lying flat and upright on a frozen lake, entangled together at the accident site. The Cessna's burned wreckage was lying on top of (and positioned toward the aft third of) the burned wreckage of the Short SC7.
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 amateur-built SC7 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; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,170 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 220 in the last 90 days; 91 in the last 30 days; 3,070 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,473 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 17, 1997; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Garrett TPE331-2-201A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Arctic Circle Air Service INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 16A at 3:20 pm
- Destination: BET Bethel AK
- Runway 36, 2,040 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 012° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 7°F (-14°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 pm from BET, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 207A from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,437 hours in all; 1,136 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,193 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 15, 1997; 61 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-F17B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SCM Scammon Bay AK at 2:00 pm
- Destination: BET Bethel AK
- Runway 36, 2,040 ft by 60 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.