Toksook Bay, AK, USA
N1276P
Cessna 208B
The commercial certificated pilot was departing on a VFR scheduled commuter flight. The runway was 3,200 feet long and 60 feet wide, and the surface had areas of packed snow and ice. A right crosswind was estimated between 15 to 25 knots. About 300 feet after beginning the takeoff roll, between 30 to 50 knots airspeed, the airplane began to drift to the left, which the pilot was unable to correct. The airplane departed off the left side of the runway and nosed over. The airplane received damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The maximum demonstrated crosswind velocity, takeoff or landing, is 20 knots.
On February 10, 2004, about 1652 Alaska standard time, a wheel-equipped Cessna 208B airplane, N1276P, sustained substantial damage when it collided with snow-covered terrain after it departed the runway and nosed over during the takeoff roll at the Toksook Bay Airport, Toksook Bay, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) scheduled passenger flight to Newtok, Alaska, under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated as Flight 2821 by Grant Aviation Inc., Anchorage, Alaska. The commercial certificated pilot, and the 6 passengers, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and VFR company flight following procedures were in effect. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on February 12, the director of operations for the operator reported that the pilot was departing on runway 34. The runway surface had areas of packed snow and ice, and the director of operations indicated that he had received reports that a right crosswind was blowing from 070 degrees between 15 to 25 knots. According to the director of operations, the pilot said that about 300 feet after beginning the takeoff roll, between 30 to 50 knots airspeed, the airplane began to drift to the left, which he was unable to correct. The airplane departed off the left side of the runway and nosed over. The airplane received damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. Runway 34 at Toksook Bay is 3,200 feet long and 60 feet wide. According to the accident airplane's information manual, the maximum demonstrated crosswind velocity, takeoff or landing, is 20 knots.
The pilot's inadequate planning and decision to initiate a takeoff into a crosswind that exceeded the airplane's demonstrated crosswind component, which resulted in a loss of directional control during the takeoff roll, and subsequent collision with terrain and nose over. Factors contributing to the accident were the crosswind, an icy runway, and the pilot's failure to abort the takeoff.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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