Cessna 207 accident near Dillingham, Alaska, July 28, 2022
On July 28, 2022 at about 1:25 am local time, a 1980 Cessna 207, registered N6908M, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Dillingham, Alaska (Dilingham airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Maintenance personnel’s failure to detect and correct improper rudder control system alignment, the resulting interference with the pulley’s rotation, and the accelerated corrosion and wear of the control cable, which ultimately led to its failure in flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 2022 · about 1:25 am local time · cases in 2022
- Place
- Dillingham, Alaska · Dilingham · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 207 A, built 1980 · all 207s on the register
- Registration
- N6908M · registry record · serial 20700672
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during approach to landing, he became aware that the left rudder pedal was not responsive. He declared an emergency and landed uneventfully. Examination revealed that the left rudder cable fractured due to corrosion and severe cable wear at the left pulley location. Nearly all wires on the cable were worn to a chisel-like point, leaving a small number of wires in the core strand to fracture in ductile overstress during final separation. The cable corrosion and wear were likely accelerated due to sliding contact with the left pulley. Issues with the rudder control system installation were evident on both pulleys. Rubbing damage on the face of the left pulley indicated that the pulley was contacting adjacent structure at the outer diameter. This contact likely interfered with pulley rotation, leading to the accelerated corrosion and wear of the control cable from sliding contact within the pulley groove. Although no rubbing damage was observed on the right pulley, the cable contact pattern was offset from the groove centerline, indicating an alignment problem in the rudder control system at the right pulley. Review of the maintenance logs revealed that the last inspection of the flight controls was completed about 8 months before the accident, and an entry about 3 months later noted a stuck pulley and corrosion of the left rudder cable. The maintenance response to the entry stated, “upon further inspection, determined cable not corroded. . . No defects.” Given the findings of the postaccident examination, it is likely that the accident would have been prevented had maintenance personnel taken more proactive action at that time.
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
What happened, in order
- Flight control sys malf/fail during enroute defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Maintenance personnel
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › Rudder control system › Fatigue/wear/corrosion other cases naming the flight controls
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,240 hours in all; 316 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 1,100 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 7, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 40,885 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, July 19, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-520-F (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Grant Aviation INC
The flight
- Departed from: ANW New Stuyahok AK
- Runway 01, 6,400 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 10 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from ADL
Weather report (METAR): PADL 280056Z 01010G14KT 10SM CLR 20/06 A3019 RMK AO2 SLP224 T02000056
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photo 1 – View of rudder cable pulley with orange deposits
Photo 2 – View of rudder cable pulley with orange deposits as seen from above.
Photo 3 – View of fractured left rudder cableThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on January 4, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum of Record - FAA Inspector Correspondence | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 4 | Materials Laboratory Factual Report 22-087 | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N6908M on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 207 Skywagon 207 115 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,682 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-520-F 80 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Dillingham Airport · nearest airport
- Ainsworth Regional · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Alaska 5,932 since 1982 · 825 in the last ten years
- Alaska 9,142 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA22LA358.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.