Cessna 208 accident near North Canton, Ohio, March 13, 2026
On March 13, 2026 at about 5:55 pm local time, a 1988 Cessna 208, registered N9612B, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (into takeoff position) near North Canton, Ohio (Akron-Canton Rgnl airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor’s decision to conduct a training flight in strong, gusting crosswinds, which resulted in the airplane’s right wing impacting the ground during taxi.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 13, 2026 · about 5:55 pm local time
- Place
- North Canton, Ohio · Akron-Canton Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 208 B, built 1988 · all 208s on the register
- Registration
- N9612B · registry record · serial 208B0136
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot receiving instruction and the flight instructor had planned a flight to perform practice instrument approaches at two nearby airports, and due to the wind conditions, the flight instructor had planned that the approaches would terminate as low approaches before returning to the departure airport to land. The flight instructor reported that while taxiing onto the runway for departure, he felt the wind push the airplane, which began to skid. While being pushed in the skid, the left main landing gear was lifted and the right wing impacted the ground resulting in substantial damage. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A review of surface weather observations for around the time of the accident showed that the wind velocity was about 31 knots, with gusts up to 48 knots. While on the taxiway, the airplane would have been experiencing a direct right crosswind changing to a right quartering headwind as the airplane turned onto the runway. The crosswind gusts the airplane likely experienced were more than twice the maximum demonstrated crosswind component of 20 knots listed in the airplane’s Pilot Operating Handbook. When asked how the accident could have been prevented, the flight instructor stated that the operator should implement maximum wind gust speeds for training flights. Had such limitations been in place at the time of the accident, it is possible that they would have aided the flight instructor in detecting the hazard those extreme wind conditions represented.
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
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during taxi (into takeoff position) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › High wind › Decision related to condition
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 18,006 hours in all; 7,412 in this make and model; 86.6 in the last 90 days; 31.1 in the last 30 days; 17,882 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 25, 2026
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,118.9 hours in all; 8.9 in this make and model; 121.7 in the last 90 days; 33.6 in the last 30 days; 754.6 as pilot in command; 536.2 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 24, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 25,375.3 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 17, 2026; 73.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,062 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114A (turboprop); 12,025 hours total
- Operator: Castle Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 23, 8,204 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 31 knots, gusting 48
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.49 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 pm from CAK
Weather report (METAR): METAR KCAK 131751Z 23031G48KT 10SM FEW050 FEW090 11/M03 A2949 RMK AO2 PK WND 23048/1749 SLP993 T01111028 10117 20017 58038
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA26LA148.