Cessna 207A accident near Napaskiak, Alaska, October 8, 1998
On October 8, 1998 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Cessna 207A, registered N6874M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Napaskiak, Alaska (Napaskiak airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection to remove all contaminated fuel from the fuel system. Factors in the accident were the pilot's inadequate planning/decision to continue a second takeoff following an engine surge and aborted takeoff, and unsuitable terrain for a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 8, 1998 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Napaskiak, Alaska · Napaskiak · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 207A · all 207As on the register
- Registration
- N6874M · no longer on the register · serial 20700671
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- 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, with one passenger, was departing for another airport about 5 miles away. During the takeoff run, the engine surged. The pilot aborted the takeoff and returned to the departure point of the runway. He said he performed an engine power check which appeared satisfactory, and continued a second takeoff. The pilot did not recheck the fuel system for contamination. Following the second takeoff, the airplane climbed to about 300 feet msl, and the engine RPM suddenly dropped to idle. Emergency procedures did not restore power. The airplane collided with trees during an off-airport landing, and received impact damage to both wing fuel tanks. The airplane came to rest inverted. The pilot said he drained every fuel sump on the airplane at the beginning of the day, and again before beginning the flight to pick up the passenger. Following retrieval of the airplane, an FAA airworthiness inspector examined the airplane. He found about 1/2 cup of water in the fuel system. One wing sump drain was partially blocked by silt. With clean fuel, the engine was started and ran at an idle. The engine later produced full power on an engine test stand.
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; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,542 hours in all; 1,608 in this make and model; 205 in the last 90 days; 97 in the last 30 days; 13,102 as pilot in command; 3,474 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,681 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 1, 1998; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-F27B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hageland Aviation Services INC
The flight
- Departed from: PKA at 4:14 pm
- Destination: BET Bethel AK
- Runway 19, 3,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 pm from BET, 5 miles away
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.