Cessna 206 accident near Tyonek, Alaska, May 27, 1998
On May 27, 1998 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 206, registered N5297U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tyonek, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 5 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's continued flight into adverse weather conditions, and his inadequate in-flight planning/decision. Factors in the accident were weather conditions consisting of a mountain wave, and downdrafts.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 27, 1998 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Tyonek, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 5 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 206 · all 206s on the register
- Registration
- N5297U · no longer on the register · serial U2060297
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and five passengers departed eastbound from a rural airstrip for a cross-country flight across high mountainous terrain. He had flown along the planned route of flight numerous times in the past and obtained pilot reports of weather conditions in several mountain passes that traversed the mountain range along the planned route. The weather reports included wind speeds of 40 knots with turbulence. An area forecast included AIRMETs for mountain obscuration, turbulence in all mountain passes, and icing conditions. The pilot said he was aware of the potential for turbulence over the mountains and climbed the airplane to 13,500 feet. When the flight approached the lee side of the pilot's planned crossing point over the mountains, the airplane encountered severe downdrafts. The pilot applied full power, but the airplane continued to descend toward blowing snow along the mountain ridge. The pilot said he had no alternative but to land into a snow bank. The airplane collided with snow covered terrain at 10,500 feet msl. The airplane's belly mounted cargo pod, and the landing gear were torn off the fuselage.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,673 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 145 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 14,500 as pilot in command; 450 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 23AK Lime Village AK at 3:00 pm
- Destination: MRI Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 7,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from ENA, 65 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 4 |
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.