Cessna 207A accident near Kotzebue, Alaska, February 25, 1995
On February 25, 1995 at about 4:50 pm local time, a Cessna 207A, registered N6479H, was destroyed in an accident near Kotzebue, Alaska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's decision to enter a box canyon area at an altitude inadequate to maintain terrain clearance. The pilot's lack of mountain flying experience was a factor in this accident.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 25, 1995 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Kotzebue, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 207A · all 207As on the register
- Registration
- N6479H · no longer on the register · serial 20700539
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE, THE PILOT WAS CONTACTED BY A COMPANY PILOT FLYING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. DURING THEIR CONVERSATION THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS 'LOOKING FOR WOLVES.' SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE COMPANY PILOT TOLD THE PILOT THAT HIS RADIO TRANSMISSIONS WERE BREAKING UP. THE PILOT REPLIED THAT IT WAS PROBABLY BECAUSE HE WAS 'BEHIND A RIDGE.' THE COMPANY PILOT TEMPORARILY WENT OFF FREQUENCY; HOWEVER, WHEN HE SWITCHED BACK HE WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT THE PILOT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LATER LOCATED ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE OF A BOX CANYON ABOUT 100 FEET BELOW THE TOP OF THE RIDGE. THE NORMAL COURSE LINE FOR THE ROUTE TYPICALLY FLOWN BY COMPANY PILOTS IS 6 MILES AWAY. THE PILOT HAD NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE IN MOUNTAIN FLYING.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,607 hours in all; 333 in this make and model; 195 in the last 90 days; 67 in the last 30 days; 1,457 as pilot in command; 700 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,434 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 17, 1995; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-F (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Yute Air Alaska
The flight
- Departed from: OTZ AK at 4:35 pm
- Destination: KVL Kivalina AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: -22°F (-30°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:00 pm from OTZ, 28 miles away
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.